Heroes Of A Future In Smallville
by The Metal Mulisha
Summary: When a fight between the Justice League and a super villain rips a hole in the fabric of time, three of its members find themselves thrown into an alternate reality of the past and right in the midst of Smallville, USA
1. The Justice League relocated

Chapter One

The Justice League relocated

_CRASH!_

The green and black costumed body of John Stewart, a.k.a The Green Lantern, was slammed right into the front window shield of a red Mustang parked along the street of Fifth Avenue in New York. The reason why he was thrown with such a great force came slowly down in a gently controlled descent from above and landed upon his feet perfectly with arms crossed over his broad chest covered in mocking costume similar to that of Green Lantern's. Lantern shook his head to clear the daze that the crash had given him before getting up off the car hood entirely and setting foot upon the street.

"What's the matter Lantern?" the red skinned man asked while laughing as he pointed mockery at the super hero. "Having some problems?" he sneered while holding out his right hand that was closed and adorned with a yellow ring on his ring-finger.

Green Lantern stared at the man with a hard and angry look written across his face. The comments didn't bother him in the least, but the fact that the guy had actually gotten such a good hit in on him, now that bothered him. "Hardly." He answered in a gruff voice while holding up his hand in the same manner only with a green ring adorning his ring-finger instead of a yellow one. With just a mere thought of his mind as a signaled command to the ring he wore, Green Lantern sent out a beam of green energy from the ring just as the red skinned man did at the exact same time. The yellow beam from the opposite ring clashed with the green one as they met right in the middle of the gap set between the two men. The collision of both energies sent a small shock wave across the empty street that had been vacated of pedestrians as soon as the fight had started. The shock wave was more of a wind-like affect as it pushed out and scattered whatever wasn't secured to the ground.

Not that far from the on going battle between the Green Lantern and Sinestro, another fight between a member of the Justice League and a villain raged on as well. The Flash was able to clock Shade in the jaw with a hard right and knocked the elderly looking man off his feet. Flash stood over him with his hands on his waist and a cocky smirk crossing his face. "Give up?" he asked in teasing gesture to the fallen Shade.

"I don't believe so." Shade replied with a smug look of his own as he pointed his cane at the red and gold costumed hero, catching him off guard with a blast of shadow from the cane's head.

Flash was knocked backwards into a blue postal drop box on the sidewalk, crushing the metal container inwards as his body impacted with a hard blow. Groaning at the sudden wave of pain that filtered through his well built lean body, Flash rubbed the side of his head as it had managed to whip backwards after the initial hit and catch the metal container as well in a whiplash effect. Shade had recovered from the earlier punch that The Flash had given him and was once again up on his feet and twirled his cane once in his hand before pointing the head in Flash's direction. A release of shadow was leeched out and encircled the downed hero roping him up in a false rope that held just as well. Shade grinned wickedly as he approached and increased the hold of the tightening shadow manipulation.

"Well, well, looks like I've grounded the fast man alive." Shade cackled as the Flash grimaced and struggled to get free of the constricting bound about him. "Too bad for you there's none of the other Justice League members around to help you." He grinned broadly.

"Think again!" a female voice called out as a heavy right hook struck Shade from the side and knocked the villain some good twenty feet away from where he had been and caused him to also loose his cane. The female who had delivered the attack landed just before the Flash and offered down a white gloved hand to him. "You okay there red?" she asked as the older hero took a hold of her offered hand and was then pulled up to his feet with such ease it was almost ridiculous.

"Yeah." He replied while letting go of her hand and rubbing his upper bicep. "Thanks Little S." he grinned teasingly at her as her blue eyes suddenly narrowed on him in response to the nick name he used. "Ah come on Super Girl!" he protested while holding his hands up in his own defense. "It's only fair. I mean the big guy is well, bigger than you and your senior." Flash protested in hopes of not having the Girl of Steel angry at him for too long.

"Whatever." Super Girl muttered while rolling her eyes and looking in the direction that Shade had been punched into. Her blue orbs went a bit wide as she was caught off guard and was slammed directly in the chest with a black car that held a white outline of sorts.

"S!" Flash shouted as he watched the young heroine disappear for a moment behind the hurtled vehicle and then was a bit relieved when the car came to a stop suddenly and lost its black shading as it returned to its normal paint job. It just hung there in mid-air before being dropped and an angry blonde haired blue eyed Kryptonian youth looking over it at the elderly-like man dressed all in black with a top hat and shades. _Oh yeah, he is so in trouble now._ Flash mused while somewhat cringing at the conjured images he could imagine as Super Girl came flying over the car fast and with right fist cocked back ready to be thrown.

Shade pointed his staff at the young hero and dispelled a large amount of shadow in attempt to protect himself from the oncoming wrath of an inhumanly strong teen. Super Girl was met halfway with a wall of shadow that she threw her readied punch and broke through just as if she had just punched a pane of glass. With a speed near that of the Flash's, she was up in Shade's face holding him by the collar of his suit and held him some three feet off the ground with a punch ready to be thrown at him again. "Can't we talk about this?" he asked in desperation to save himself from some serious hurt.

"Not a chance." She seethed through clenched teeth and then dropped the villain and tossed her blow. Her gloved fist connected with his bare cheek and sent him right into the front window of a shop on the sidewalk. "Jackass!" Super Girl spat while dusting her white gloved hands and staring with a heated glare at the crumpled man in the broken display that had been several mannequins posing new clothes.

Flash came up beside the heroine in his usually fast speed and eyed the unconscious Shade before them. "Well, I think he learned his lesson." He mused sarcastically and then glanced over at the blonde beside him who now had her hands on her hips. "You feeling okay today there S?" he asked while quirking an eyebrow under his near full-faced mask.

Super Girl looked up at the tall man beside her and lost some of the glare she still had in her eyes. "Yeah. Why?" she asked a tad on the curious side but also knowing a little as to why he had asked her such a question.

"Hm, no reason." He concluded while giving her a bit of a playful grin.

Super Girl just shook her head and rolled her eyes at him while starting forward to round up the unconscious villain and hand him off to the nearest group of cops that had started to arrive on the scene. Flash started after her but was suddenly whipped about as an explosion caught his attention. Both he and Super Girl looked over to where they knew GL was fighting Sinestro a few blocks over. The two super heroes looked at each other and in silent agreement they both took off. Flash disappeared in a blurred streak of red and gold as Super Girl took to the air after taking a running jump after him. Both Justice League members arrived on the scene to see Green Lantern trying desperately to keep a shield up with his ring as a huge black hole was sucking in random objects from either side of it.

Sinestro was doing the same and having just as hard a time as GL from the other side. When Flash arrived and stopped near Lantern he was immediately grabbed by the massive suction of the hole and started to quickly back pedal with all his speed to keep himself out of the hole and next to Lantern. "Yo! What the hell is going on GL?" he shouted above the roar the hole was creating.

Green Lantern looked over at Flash and held a rather agitated look on his face that hid an underlying worry for his often at times irritating friend. "Flash, get behind my shield before you're sucked into that thing!" Lantern shouted with his all too trademark gruff voice.

Flash complied and zipped over behind the struggling shield of Lantern. "Hey Super Girl is on her way over here right –"

"Whoa! What the hell happened here!" Super Girl landed just behind the two adult men and stared out from behind them at the black hole that was now devouring a mini van.

"Super Girl's here." Flash finished as he had been interrupted and looked at GL with a bit of a musing look that didn't fly with the black man who replied to this with a rather hot glare before returning his attention on the concentration of keeping the shield up.

Green Lantern focused harder and managed to add more strength to his shield before he could explain to the other two super heroes what had happened and what needed to be done in order to stop it before the entire Fifth Avenue was sucked in through two ways. "Somehow the two different energies that our rings use ripped a hole while Sinestro and I were fighting it out. If that thing doesn't somehow close we're going to be sucked in along with almost all of the greater Manhattan area!" he shouted over the increasing roar of the hole's suction rate.

Super Girl and Flash exchanged looks to one another and then in unison asked one question – "How!"

GL groaned mentally at how much the two were acting like each other even more so than ever. _Goddamit, look at what he's done to Super Mans' cousin! Good lord it's no wonder that she hasn't started cracking smartass remarks every ten seconds yet. _Narrowing his eyes at the mere thought of another personality like Flash's running around in the JLA Tower made him cringe but then was forgotten as his shield started to weaken again and drag all three slowly towards the gaping mouth in the middle of the now pretty much cleared street. Windows all around were popping with the dangerous shards flying down in a hail of razor sharp daggers towards everyone. Super Girl noticed this as soon as she heard the shattering panes finally give. Her slender brows shot up in near horror.

Like her cousin, she was invulnerable to literally any physical harm. Bullets would just ricochet off her chest or any other body part for that manner, hand held weapons of any sort would just break upon contact with her body, and even elements never bothered her. So it was safe to say she would be fine with pieces of glass flying at them but GL and Flash wouldn't be and GL was already busy with keeping them from being sucked into a hole that led to God only knows where. In a instant and acting on total instinct, Super Girl placed herself the best she could so that she acted as a back shield for her two comrades and began deflecting what she could with the incredible speed she was naturally born with. Flash suddenly winced as something bit its way across his bicep in a horizontal fashion. Looking down at the area of in which the pain was ebbing from he raised a curious brow to see that the material of his costume had been cut clean and a thin line of blood was starting to appear.

That was when he finally noticed the sounds of breaking glass and small grunts from behind him and GL. Super Girl was punching away at large and small pieces of flying glass the best she could in an attempt to protect him and Lantern from a razor sharp death. Looking back over at Lantern, Flash shouted out to him. "Hey! We need to hurry up and come up with a plan or Little S isn't going to be able to keep up with the glassy doom that's coming at us from behind!"

Green Lantern looked over his shoulder in a quick glance to see what Flash was shouting about now. For a moment he watched as the teen punched away at flying glass and was using herself as a shield for them. _Keep it up kiddo, just a bit longer. _He reached out in his thoughts to encourage the young Kryptonian while returning his focus on the shield that was no loosing its strength faster now. "It's not gonna hold much longer." He stated in a rather smooth tone of voice that was just ever so slightly tinted with panic.

Flash's eyes grew wide at this and looked over at the gaping hole. _Did I just hear someone scream or…?_ Flash looked out a bit from behind the shield trying to see over at the other side of the hole. Yep, he was right. Sinestro' s shield had lost its power and now the super villain was being sucked into the hole. "Hey we lost Sinestro!" Flash shouted over at GL and to Super Girl.

Both looked over at Flash and held startled looks. It was at that moment that all three super heroes were caught off guard when a huge piece of building came hurtling towards them as it had been snapped off by the suction power of the black hole. Super Girl was hit first and then was shoved along with two men straight for the hole. Green Lantern had lost his focus on the shield and dropped it, Flash was unable to pick up speed and start running, and Super Girl was unable to fight back against both the black hole and the piece of building. The black hole had finally claimed all three JLA members and after closed up as if that was all it really took.

Smallville High was just beginning to let out as the bell had rung at precisely two o'clock on the dot. Most of the students were pouring out the front doors and headed for either the buses or their own mode of transportation. For once (in a blue moon) Clark wasn't being dragged by his friend Chloe to the Torch room and going over articles that either needed deciding on or were pending. However, he was stopped just after leaving the doors by his friend Pete who had called out for him. Clark turned around and smiled as his friend came running towards him with his back pack bouncing with every stride.

"Hey man, thanks for waiting." Pete greeted a little out of breath as he stopped in front of Clark and tried to catch what breath he had lost.

"No problem." Clark returned with a smile and waited for him to finish inhaling new oxygen.

Pete finally caught his breath and gave Clark a rather goofy grin while adjusting the straps of his pack. "So, Chloe actually letting you escape today, uh?" he asked as they started walking towards the student parking lot where Clark's truck was parked in.

Clark gave a small laugh while nodding in reply to Pete's poking fun. "Yeah she is."

Both boys piled themselves into Clark's pick-up truck and drove into town. More precisely they were headed for the Talon where they could almost always be found hanging out along with Chloe and Lana at times. They arrived at the favorite hangout for most of the teens in Smallville and were able to catch a seat on the couches on the backside of the room after having placed their order at the counter. Dumping their backpacks at their feet the two boys started in on a conversation about up-coming events at school and what homework had been dumped on them for the weekend. Their orders arrived shortly after and were set on the coffee table at the center of gathering of couches.

As the inside buzz of the Talon continued, the world outside of it was a different story.

Seemingly out of no where a huge gap was literally ripped open in the sky and dumped out three JLA members that had been sucked up by the black hole in the first place. Green Lantern and Super Girl caught themselves in mid-air as they had the ability to fly. However, it was Flash who was caught by the arm as Super Girl kept him from becoming personal friend with the street some six stories below them. As soon as they had been spat out of the hole, the dark void closed again as if satisfied with where it had placed the three heroes. Lantern indicated with a point of his finger for Super Girl to follow him over to the nearest roof. All three touched down on a flat brick roof that belonged to a building of a town they were unfamiliar with. Flash zipped over to the side and glanced over. They were on the top of a third floor in what appeared to be a town out in the sticks somewhere.

"Wow, I'd say we're not in Kansas any more but from the looks of it it's like we're smack dap in the middle of it." Flash pointed out while looking back at his two friends.

Lantern was staring off into the distance towards more of the town while Super Girl was just looking about her own surroundings for the moment. "Where are we?" she asked, voicing the question all three had in mind at that time.

Before they could even think to try and answer the thousands of questions forming in their heads all three heroes found their attention being pulled to a major commotion down on the street below them. Green Lantern and Super Girl found themselves over at the roof's edge with Flash looking down to see what was going on. GL's brow eyes narrowed suddenly and turned a solid jade green with his lantern powers. "Sinestro!" he stated through gritted teeth.

"Yeah, just our luck that we get placed in the same are he's at." Flash commented while crossing his arms over his chest at the same time and shaking his head.

Super Girl glanced over at him and had a bit of grin on her face. Green Lantern took the initiative and gave their first order as a trio team-up. "Alright, let's get down there and stop him before anyone gets hurt!"

Flash and Super Girl nodded in agreement to this. All three departed from the roof top and headed down to the street in their own separate ways. Flash took off at lightning speed while Green Lantern activated his ring powers and took to the air and headed down after him. Super Girl made a movement as if she were about to jump into the air but lifted off and flew down to help out as well passing both adults up and taking the lead as she was the somewhat replacement for her cousin in his absence.

Down on the street people were screaming and running for their lives as yellow beams were shot out at random cars and blew them into a fiery explosion that shook the ground as each one came right after the other. All this was coming down the street towards the Talon where in which those inside were getting up from their seats to see what was going on through the front windows of the coffee house. Something they would regret as a car came rolling right for the huge glass pane and crashed right through. Clark was up on his feet but seemed to late…or was it? Both he and Pete stared dumbstruck with everyone else as the car was glowing with a green light wrapped around it and all the broken glass. With opened mouths they watched as the car was retracted out the broken window along with the broken shards. On cue to this everyone in the Talon rushed for the window and stared in awe as the car was put aside gently and lost the green light that was about it.

Clark was the most stunned one of all as he first thought the green light was something to do with green kryptonite and was proven wrong as he and Pete stared at a man of African American decent hovering two feet off the street dressed in green and black one piece outfit with a shield at the front holding a white field and a green lantern shape at the center. The guy's eyes were glowing with a green light as he nodded at the people in the coffee house. Everyone just continued to stare in shock as he then flew off down the street with a rather mean look on his face now. Clark and Pete exchanged glances with one another and then ran out the front door and right into the street. They skidded to a halt as another explosion rocked the street and the same guy came flying back to where they were but not by choice. He slammed back first into the side of a parked car and look like he was going to be out for a moment or two.

As they stared at the downed guy their line of sight was blurred for a moment as a streak of red and gold passed by in just mere seconds and the was gone. The two did a double take as they stared down the street to where they figured the streak had gone in, and they were right. A sound that was near close to tires coming to a screeching halt sounded and they stared with an even larger expression of shock as they stared at a tall lean man dressed primarily all in red with gold adornments to his attire. The guy looked left then right and then looked forward to watch as a guy dressed in attire similar to the guy in black and green walk out of the smoke and flames of burning cars. This guy was a total oddity to everyone who was watching and or running for their lives. He had pointed ears like some sort of elf and his skin tone was a complete red.

"What the heck is going on?" Pete murmured as he looked back down at the guy who was still sitting propped up against the car.

Clark shook his head in the same confusion he was feeling and just watched as the guy in red became a blur as he took off running for the guy in blue and black leathers. A whirlwind of red suddenly washed up around the odd looking man and had him for some time distracted until he held out his right hand, fist closed, and emitted some sort of yellow beam from it. The guy dressed in red was suddenly flung off to he side as he had been hit with the beam. The red skinned man laughed and appeared to say something to the fallen guy while walking over to him and picking him up from the front of his suit. Cocking back a fist he then slugged the red masked man across the face and allowed him to drop to the ground. Clark could feel his blood boiling within him now for some unknown reason. Was it because it just wasn't right to see two guys trying to stop this insane freak and end up swatted down and unconscious? Or was it something more that he just couldn't explain at that moment?

Whatever it was it was causing him to clench his fists at his sides, causing the knuckles to turn white. As everyone continued to watch the bizarre events out in the street they gasped as the red skinned man in black looked down the street and gave a rather cruel grin before pointing his closed hand at a near by car that had yet to be destroyed. A yellow light enveloped the car and picked it up off the ground like it was nothing and then had it tossed straight for Clark and Pete. Both teens were frozen on the spot as the car came flying right for them. Clark couldn't risk using his own powers to save both himself and Pete for fear exposing them to the entire city that was watching. So instead, both boys hit the ground in a crouch and on total instinct just tried to make themselves as small as possible. For a moment everything was quiet except for the low groaning creak of metal. Clark was the first to open his eyes and take a peek as to why they hadn't been hit by the car.

"Oh my god." Pete murmured beside him as he too had opened his own eyes and stared up a sight that was clearly unbelievable.

Standing in front of the two boys with back turned was a blonde girl holding her arms straight out in front of her holding the car back from hitting them. Clark stood to his feet and just stared at the back of the girl's head. He clearly had a good few inches on her, but the thing was startling to him was the way she was seemingly dressed. White gloves, a denim mini skirt, fire engine red boots that came up to just below her knees, a white shirt with sleeves ending at the elbows with a black rimming, and most of all a fire engine red cape on her back that came down to her knees in length. _What in the world? _His own thoughts ended there as he watched in total shock as the girl shifted the way she stood while also picking up the car with both her hands digging into the roof of the car as she did. In what could only describe as total ease and unbelievable strength that was just inhuman to say the least, the girl hoisted the car up above her head and with a small grunt threw it like some sort of beach ball right back at the red skinned man who was staring in total shock at her like everyone else. As the car streaked towards the guy like some sort of missile, that's when the cops pulled up in a flurry of screeches and sirens. As soon as the brakes were hit and thrown into park the doors opened and the piled out with weapons drawn all aimed at the red skinned man in the street and the apparently the girl as well. The car was near slamming into the red guy head on until he used his hand again to emit the yellow light and stop the car just before it hit him.

Seeing this the girl gave no second thought to the shouted orders of the police as she made a running step and then just suddenly flew across the street with her feet off the ground at a good five feet. She had her right arm cocked back and the hand balled into a fist. The speed in which she reached the guy was unreal as she then threw her punch and broke through the yellow field about the car and drove into the car itself. The guy on the other side was knocked off his feet and hit by the car. Both rolled and then stopped some ten feet from where they had been. The girl touched down on the ground and watched as the car came to a halt and just laid on its back. The cops again shouted for her to put her hands up, but she wasn't even listening as she just continued to stare and watch the overturned car she had personally thrown. Clark watched in just total awe of this person who was exhibiting the same sort of super strength he had, and maybe even more as she seemed to be complete and total control of it unlike himself. _Who the heck is she? She's amazing! _Clark thought as he just watched along with everyone else.

"I REPEAT! PUT YOUR HANDS UP AN DTURN AROUND SLOWLY!" the officer shouted through a bullhorn for what seemed like the tenth time already since arriving on the scene. He and the others hadn't been there to see the car being thrown but they had watched as the unexplainable events happened with a blonde woman flying five feet off the ground and punching a hole through the metal hull of a car.

It was then that the girl looked over her shoulder, revealing her face to everyone behind her for the first time. She was, well, really pretty and a teenager by the looks of it. A pair of royal blue eyes stared at them framed with dark lashes as they were set within an oval shaped face that seemed rather full and not so super model like with high cheek bones. Clark's jaw dropped as he stared an almost mirror image of himself aside from the whole blonde hair and female body aspect of it all. Pete looked between his friend and the girl in the street in what seemed like over a dozen times as he couldn't believe what he was seeing either. A sudden rumbling broke the weird pause of silence to end as the car suddenly was flipped up into the air towards the Talon from an unseen force. The girl's eyes went wide as she saw this and followed after the car. Just as it was about to smash into the building a green light beam hit it and then enveloped it like before and halted both the advancement of the projectile like weapon and the girl. All eyes were turned on the black man who had apparently regained consciousness and was able to halt the continuants of the harm being dealt out. A rather high and wicked laugh echoed out into the streets as from what looked like a large hole arose the red skinned man glowing with an outline of yellow.

He had his arms crossed over his chest and had a rather bold smirk on his face as he stared down at both the black man and the blonde. "Don't think you've won just yet you miserable heroes!" he stated sharply as he now narrowed his glare on a red blur that streaked across the street to the girl's side. "I'll be back to finish our little fight Green Lantern!" he shouted before flying off into the sky at a rather fast speed.

The blonde made to go after him but was stopped with one word spoke from the guy in black and green – "No!"

"The hell!" the guy in red asked while looking over at him. "What do you mean no? S here can catch up with him faster than you could!" he stated while sounding a bit frustrated at the same time.

The black man shook his head and with the green light set the car aside so as not to hurt anyone. "I said no and that's final. We have more important things to deal with than chase after Sinestro right now." He stated while setting foot on the ground and coming over to the two boys who were just staring at him and the other two oddities. The guy who had been called Green Lantern by the red skinned guy that he in turn called Sinestro, stopped just short of them and looked them over. "Are you two okay?" he asked. His voice was gruff but it held a sense of concern for their well being.

Clark and Pete nodded their heads in answer to him. Green Lantern gave half smile while looking over at the blonde girl near the coffee house. "You two were definitely lucky that she arrived just in time." He stated with a bit of a more broader smile directed to the blonde who seemed a bit sheepish now with the compliment being paid to her.

The guy in red next to her elbowed her playfully and smirked as he crossed his arms. Looking over at Green Lantern he gestured with a twist of his head towards the cops. "So, uh, what do we do about those guys? I mean, they don't seem to happy about all this at all."

Green Lantern nodded as he agreed with this. He noticed for some reason that these police seemed to have no idea who the three of them were. Odd, because, didn't every one know who Green Lantern, The Flash, and Super Girl were? Even in a small place like this, surely they knew about the Justice League and its members. It didn't seem that way as they still had their weapons drawn and pointed at them. _Something is not right here. _Lantern thought to himself while glancing over at the men and women in uniform who held rather irritated looks on their faces. Lantern looked back at his two comrades knowing they really didn't have too much of a choice. "Let's leave. We'll regroup later." He stated his order and then was outlined with the same green light as before and lifted off the ground to fly up into the air and left.

The cops shouted after him with threats of firing at him, giving Flash and Super Girl the chance they needed to disappear without being noticed really. Flash saluted the teen hero and then zipped off in a blur of red and gold leaving her there just standing before the broken window of the coffee house. Clark looked at her with a questioning stare that asked what she was going to do. She shrugged at him and then noticed that the cops were now yelling at her again. With a rather apologizing look towards Clark and Pete, Super Girl then took to the air and flew away with the cops freaking out now that they had four different people just take off like that on them in ways that could be described as unnatural and inhuman. Clark watched after the girl even long after she was gone. Pete looked at Clark and then into the sky in which his friend was staring into intently. Shaking his head, Pete tugged on Clark's sleeve and finally got his attention back down to earth


	2. The Kent Farm

Chapter Two

The Kent farm

Clark had come home to a panicking mom who berated with a million questions ranging from "Are you okay? Are you hurt? What were you doing out in the street like that! Do you know how worried I was about you! Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, no, I'm not sure, curious, I'm sorry I worried you, and again yes I am." Clark answered in order while giving his mom an apologetic smile as he dropped his backpack down on the kitchen table. "It was amazing though mom! That blonde girl, she just lifted up that car like it was nothing and threw it." He described with a rather excited manner. "Maybe, maybe she's like me!" Clark pointed out as his dad came in and grabbed a glass from the kitchen cabinet and headed over to the sink to fill it.

"Maybe, but that doesn't explain those other two men with her." Jonathan Kent pointed out while turning the faucet off as his glass was half way full.

Martha Kent looked over at her husband with a rather exasperated look on her face. "Jonathan really! You could tell just by looking at them that they were…super heroes." She stated in the defense of the trio who had saved the talon from further damage and everyone else on the street from being seriously hurt.

"Super heroes? Is that what they've started calling costumed vigilantes now?" Jonathan asked while raising a brow and taking a drink from his glass.

"Well I think it's only obvious with the fact that they had powers all their own and they were protecting everyone." Martha pointed out while snatching up a dish towel and set to work on drying some dishes she had washed in the sink. "Honestly." She muttered under her breath while taking up a plate in her hand and vigorously drying it.

Jonathan grinned slightly as this and finished off his water before placing the cup on the sink counter and walked out of the kitchen. Passing by his son at the table, he clapped him on the shoulder and headed outside for the barn. Clark watched his father for a moment and looked back over at his mom who was still working on the same plate. "Super heroes?" he asked while raising a bit of an amused eyebrow at her.

Martha looked over at her son and gave him a rather stern look that was bit playful to say the least at the same time. "Yes, ever heard of Batman?" she asked while putting the plate down and moving on to the next item.

"Batman?" Clark whispered to himself while grabbing his backpack and heading upstairs to empty it out and sort through what needed to be done first as far as order of homework. Shaking his head, Clark pushed open the door to his room and tossed his bag over to his bed and then headed back out to the hall. Before he stepped all the way out, he caught something out of the corner of his eye through the window and did a double take. _I could have swore I just saw…nah, it couldn't be. _He shrugged it off and then left his room completely.

After dinner and helping his mom with the dishes, Clark headed out to the barn loft to have some time alone to think about what had happened at the Talon that day. Everything replayed so vividly in his mind even right down to when the blonde girl gave him that shrug and apologizing look before taking to the air and actually flying away. Now that was what startled Clark the most about those three people. Out the three only two flew away while the other just became this blur of red and gold and was gone in just mere seconds. _Now he reminded me of that kid named Wally West that I met a while back ago. _Clark mused while leaning back against the side of the window sill he was sitting on. Staring off into the night sky, Clark could only imagine what it must feel like to fly like they did without the aid of an airplane or some other device. _Well that guy in the green suit was glowing when he left. That reminds me, I didn't feel weak or anything when that green light was emitted…so maybe his light is something entirely different and has no side affects. _

As Clark continued to stare off into the night sky he caught something out of the corner of his eye which caused him to sit up immediately and look in that direction all the way. He narrowed his eyes a bit to see what it was he had caught. His vision became like a telescope as it zoomed in on that specific image that was in the dark sky. A yellow light was shooting out across the sky in small burst as it tried to hit something it was aiming at and missing apparently. Clark focused harder and finally saw what he had been looking for. His blue eyes went completely wide in the same shock he had been placed in at the Talon when the fight broke out between the costumed people. "No way!" he breathed while getting up on his feet and staring intently at the yellow light flashing through the air.

One of the yellow shots finally hit its target as the impact could be seen almost as clear as day and shot down whatever it was after in the first place. Clark watched as out of the sky plummeted something with a fire engine red coloring to it and crashed right through the roof a small shack that his dad used for storing various other farm implements. As soon as the object crashed through the roof the shack collapsed in on itself in a heap that threw up a cloud of dust and dirt. Clark was out of the loft and barn all together in a flash as he used his super speed and arrived in the barnyard just as his parents were coming out of the house and near running down the porch steps to join their son. Martha came right to Clark's side and grabbed a hold of his arm.

"Clark what's going on out here?" Jonathan asked him while standing on his son's unoccupied side.

Clark shook his head as he didn't really have a good enough guess. "I don't know." He answered while still keeping his gaze on the collapsed shack where the dust cloud was starting to settle. "Something fell out of the sky and just crashed through the roof of your tool shack dad." He described what he had seen personally but left out the yellow light being shot through the sky.

"My, my, what a mess you make little girl." A male voice commented from an unseen source that had all three Kent's looking around in confusion until Martha squeezed her son's arm and pointed up at the sky just above the dead shack. The same red skinned man from earlier that day came slowly down out of the sky in a gentle motion that had him touching ground safely, unlike whatever it was that had been shot down. He folded his arms across his broad chest and held a very cocky smirk on his face while walking towards the broken shack. "Tsk, tsk, what would the Green lantern say if he saw you so easily thrown down like this? Really child, you should know better than to challenge me alone like that." He sneered while stopping just short of the pieces of splintered wood.

Jonathan looked over at his wife and exchanged a frantic look of worry with her while Clark's face was starting to contort to a rather angry expression as he could now only guess what this alien looking guy was talking about or to. _It's her! He shot her down! And now he's mocking her. _Clark clenched his right hand in a fist and got the attention of his parents right on him almost immediately when he did. "No Clark." His dad stated quickly while laying a hand on his son's shoulder. "Whatever is going on, you aren't ready to handle." Jonathan Kent looked over at the red skinned man in black and blue leathers who had now turned his attention on him and his family.

A rather unsettling grin was on his face now flashing what looked to be rather fang-like canines in his mouth as he dropped his arms to his sides and held up his right hand that was adorned with a single yellow ring on his ring-finger. "At least there will be witnesses to recount the fall of Super-" before he could finish, the guy was cut off as the broken pieces of wood suddenly exploded with a blonde teen popping up in the middle of it all.

The red cape was a bit tattered and covered in a layer of dust as was the rest of her attire, but other than that she looked to be okay. Her royal blue eyes were burning with an angry fire as she stared at the red skinned man who was staring back at her rather dumbfounded to say the least. His look quickly changed to a rather irritated sneer as her closed his right hand into a fist and pointed it at the blonde. Before any source of yellow light could be emitted by the ring on his hand, the red skinned man was stumbling backwards as the blonde had suddenly come to be right up in his face without any warning. Clark watched in complete awe as the girl was once again exhibiting the same powers that he was starting to discover on his own. The blonde narrowed her eyes dangerously before lashing out with a very hard uppercut to the red man's jaw that sent him flying up and backwards to land on a wooden fence and completely break apart that one section entirely. Jonathan and Martha watched in what seemed like a mix of awe and horror as the girl had delivered such a hard blow to a full grown man that stood at least a good foot and some inches taller than her.

"See, I told you!" Clark stated excitedly to his dad while still having his eyes focused on the blonde. It seemed as though she heard him, because once Clark had pointed this out loudly to his dad the blonde girl looked over at him and held a rather shocked look on her face now. It seemed that she hadn't expected to see the same guy she saved in the street twice in one day while fighting the same man. Clark held a rather hopefully look upon his face as he and the blonde stared at each other as if speaking silently with many questions passing between them.

However, the moment ended as the red skinned man stared to pick himself up off the ground and get to his feet again. This caused the blonde to snap her head over in his direction and once more glare with what looked like hate. "I would think by now you would learn not to get up again Sinestro!" the blonde shouted through clenched teeth while also clenching her hands at her side.

The man she called Sinestro merely laughed as he dusted himself off and squared his shoulders. That same cocky smirk cut its way across his hard face as he listened to the blonde's threat. "What makes you think that just you alone could ever put me down? Eh, Super Girl?" he mocked while holding his closed hand out again as the ring on it was starting to glow with yellow light again.

"I'll be more than enough you washed up traitor!" Super Girl shouted while flying forward at Sinestro with a fist ready to be thrown.

Sinestro smirked at the threat she had made and got ready to fire. "Foolish girl." He muttered while firing his beam. His smirk soon disappeared as his beam seemingly missed as Super Girl came twirling out from the side and flew right for him while throwing a punch. Sinestro's face showed the depth of his shock before his entire right cheek took a hit from a fist that felt as though it were a concrete block smashing into him. His body was tossed to the side immediately. But somehow the former green lantern managed to keep himself on his feet and fire another shot from his ring.

Again Super Girl dodged the shot taken at her and changed her flight direction and streaked again for the evil Lantern and caught him across the face again with a right followed by a left and then her right foot met his temple all one right after the other. Sinestro was sent reeling from this attack while trying to keep his balance all at the same time. The only way he was going to be able to get a shot in on the female version of the Man of Steel was extort the weakness she shared with everyone in the Justice League. Sinestro's black eyes turned on the Kent family who was still watching the fight from where they had been standing. A wicked glint crossed his eyes while being accompanied by a sly grin as he glanced over at Super Girl and then aimed his ring at the family of three.

"All you heroes are alike." He cackled while firing on the Kents with his perverted Lantern Ring.

Super Girl's eyes went wide for a moment as she watched the ring fired at the innocent people who's yard she had been knocked into. Without a single thought of hesitation the blonde Kryptonian made to rush in front of the family and take the hit for them. However Sinestro knew she would, so as soon as he fired the first shot he fired a second at Super Girl that caught her off guard and struck her right at the center of the chest knocking her backwards to the ground. Sinestro laughed for the moment until he looked over at the innocent family he had attacked and ceased to finish his laugh as he stared with a gaping mouth at the sight before him. The son was standing before his parents like a human-shield with no sight of injury done to him at all. Sinestro raised a curious brow at this and made to start forward at the boy in curiosity. As he took the first step a green beam shot down from the sky just in front of him drilling a hole in the dirt and leaving a scorch mark behind as it had been a short blast. Jumping backwards a few feet Sinestro placed himself into a defensive stance as he could only guess who had just arrived.

"Didn't think it would take long before you started causing trouble Sinestro." Green Lantern spat while coming down out of the sky to stand in front of the Kent family with a green outline glowing about him and the same light taking over his eyes.

Sinestro sneered at him and prepared for a fight but stopped when a red blur passed by him bring with it a sudden rush of wind and came to stop beside the Green Lantern. "Dammit! I should have seen that coming!" he sneered while lowering his hand as he was having second thoughts about his plan. "Don't think you've won just yet!" Sinestro yelled angrily before jumping into the air and flying off to only who knows where.

"Yeah, we sure showed him." Flash commented while crossing his arms over his chest and plastering a smug grin on his face as well. "But man! Did you see the shape his face was in? Little S sure did a number on him!" he laughed while looking over at GL who in turn was looking over across from them and to the side. "What? What are you staring at?" Flash asked a bit confused as to what had the man's interest and then turned his head to see for himself. The eyes of the Flash went rather wide as he finally took notice of the downed Super Girl who now had some random teenaged boy crouched next to her ready to help her up if she needed it.

Clark reached out a hand and brushed aside some stray pieces of Super Girl's blonde hair from her face while holding a worried look on his own. "Are you okay?" he asked as she was now sitting up on the ground and shaking the cobwebs from her head.

Super Girl nodded in reply. "Yeah. It'll take more than just one shot from his ring to knock me down for the count." She stated while moving to get up on her feet again. As she started to push herself up, Super Girl found to her surprise the helping hand of the guy next to her offered freely without any hesitation. Looking him over for a moment with her eyes, Super Girl then placed her own hand in his and allowed him to help her even though she really wasn't in need of it. Back on her feet Super Girl gave a small smile to him in return for his help. "Thanks."

"Not a problem." Clark returned and absent mindedly continued to hold on to her hand while just staring at her as his mind tried to piece together why she looked so familiar to him.

Looking down at her hand Super Girl raised an amused eyebrow and looked up at Clark again before clearing her throat. This gesture startled Clark as he realized what she was indicating to and smiled nervously as he released her hand. "Sorry." He muttered under his breath as he started to feel his face grow slightly warm from embarrassment.

"Hey, hey now!" Flash spoke up as he suddenly appeared next to Super Girl and elbowed her in the shoulder in a teasing manner that had the youth shooting a glare at him right after.

Green Lantern, who was still standing over by Jonathan and Martha, rolled his eyes and then turned to face them with a passive look upon his face. GL wasn't by any means a stone cold guy, it was just that his Marine background sort of had him giving off a more harder personality than he really possessed. So, trying the best he could to not look as gruff and tough, Green Lantern gave a wry smile to the couple. "I'm sorry we placed in such a dangerous position like this." He apologized to them and glanced off for a moment at his two comrades who were now starting an argument between each other and groaned mentally before looking at the husband and wife. "It wasn't our intentions to do so." He finished while hoping this would at least smooth out the possible bad impression they may have just instilled.

Instead of the expected reaction, GL was surprised when the husband stepped forward and held out a hand to him in a friendly gesture. "We don't blame you." He replied while holding a bit of a smile on his own face. "You were only doing your job."

Lantern nodded his head to this and shook hands. "I take it things like this don't seem that surprising or odd to you then." GL mused as he and Jonathan ended their hand shake.

Martha smiled at GL and came to her husband's side. "Oh, where to begin." She state with a bit of a nervous laugh in her voice as she was still shaken by the events that had just passed. "But yes, I suppose you could say that. Smallville's no stranger to the out of place."

The mention of the town's name that the three Justice League members found themselves in after being sucked in through the black hole had all three staring at the husband and wife speechless. Super Girl on the other hand seemed to be rather dumbstruck as she then turned her head to look at the boy around her own age standing with her and Flash. "Um, if you don't mind me asking, what's your name?" she asked with a rather suspicious look in her eyes that flickered for a moment and then passed before it could be picked up.

Clark gave her the same smile and extended his hand this time in greeting to her. "Clark Kent." He answered and took notice of the sudden shock that came over the blonde girl before him who hesitantly placed her hand in his once more to shake it. "It's Super Girl, right?" Clark asked as he was trying to remember if that was in fact what the red skinned guy named Sinestro had called her a few times before taking off.

"Uh, yeah, it is. Well, that's my alias super hero name." she answered while ending their hand shake and eyeing him in a rather peculiar way that even Flash was mimicking at that very moment. Super Girl felt a slight poke to her lower back and realized that it was Flash's way of telling her to introduce him as well to Clark. Super Girl cleared her throat quietly and then stepped sideways and held a hand out at the guy in red and gold next to her. "Clark, this is The Flash." She introduced the adult with her in a somewhat bored manner that had Flash eyeing her for a moment.

"The Flash?" Clark repeated a bit confused by the name as he looked at the guy in the skin tight red suit.

Flash nodded as he crossed his arms over his puffed up chest that seemed to still be swelling with pride. "Yep, that's me! Fastest man alive!" he added in as a secondary title and smiled smugly as he did.

Clark looked over at Super Girl who rolled her eyes and just shook her head in what seemed un-amusement as it was something she was hearing almost constantly for a while now. Seeing this, Clark suppressed an oncoming laugh and managed to keep his smile to a more decent one that hid the fact that he wanted to laugh at how Super Girl reacted to her friend. Green Lantern broke his stare off the goings on with the Flash and Super Girl, and looked back over at the other adults. "Green Lantern." He introduced himself while holding his own hand out this time to the husband.

Jonathan nodded to this with a half smile and shook hands with him. "Jonathan Kent, and this is my wife Martha." He introduced his wife who in turn shook hands with GL after her husband. They already knew the names of the other two heroes as they had introduced themselves to their son.


	3. Between Us

Chapter Three

Between Us

After the fight between Super Girl and Sinestro had come to an end when Green Lantern and The Flash had arrived on the scene, the Kents were then introduced to three super heroes they had never heard of before until now. Clark especially was interested in the blonde named Super Girl who exhibited powers so similar to his own that were emerging, aside from the fact that she could fly. Jonathan Kent had invited the trio into his home for the evening so that they weren't out in the middle of a barnyard discussing what they were going to do about Sinestro. Both Flash and Super Girl were more than happy to accept the invitation and only had to wait for GL to give the go ahead before they could voice their acceptance to the offer. So now there were three costumed super powered heroes inside the dinning room of the Kent family, sitting around the table. Green Lantern sat at the head of the table with his hands clasped together before him. Flash sat on his left and Super Girl on his right. All three were rather quiet for the most part while Martha busied herself in the kitchen fixing some glasses of water and fishing out something for them to eat if they were hungry. Jonathan and Clark sat at the table with the trio at the other end just as quiet as they were.

Green Lantern exhaled heavily before removing his hands from the table and looking over at Flash. "Looks like our only choice for the moment is to regroup and track down Sinestro before he can do any really harm or damage to this town. He stated plainly in his usual gruff voice.

Flash nodded at this and folded his arms over his chest and then leaned forward on the table so he could speak a bit privately with GL. "That sounds good, but the thing is we have a total complication with this situation." He spoke in a hushed voice. "If this really is the Kent farm, then that means we're totally screwed in the weirdest way possible." Flash pointed out while sitting back in his chair.

Lantern gave him a rather stern look even though he realized this as well back when he was introduced to Jonathan and Martha. _There really is no way around this, other than to keep things quiet around these people so we don't affect the future. But it looks like maybe it might be too late. Clark has seen Kara's S-shield and her Kryptonian powers, so basically that is totally out the window. The next question is this, how do we go about figuring this all out and get ourselves back home? _Lantern glanced over at Super Girl who was stealing her own private glances over at the young Clark Kent who seemed a bit nervous in his own seat as he too was stealing what glances he could at her in turn. Shaking his head, Lantern thought it only right to try and explain their situation to the Kent family and hope for the best. "I think I can explain what's going on here." GL started and grabbed the attention of everyone including Martha Kent who was walking into the dining room with glasses of water in hand.

Seeing her enter with full hands, Super Girl was up on her feet and over at her side to offer some help. "Here, let me help with those." She stated while taking a few glasses from Martha's hands and setting them before Flash and Lantern. Martha smiled and thanked her while heading over to her husband and son and placing their glasses down before them as well. Super Girl sat down in her seat again at about the same time was Martha and took a small drink from her glass.

Lantern continued seeing as how everyone was interested in what he had to say. "Flash, Super Girl, and I are apart of a team known as the Justice League of America, now more recently known as the Justice League Unlimited. We were out in New York after receiving an alert that two criminals known as The Shade and Sinestro were up to no good." GL explained while absent mindedly tapping the side of his glass with his fingers. "When we got to the area in which they were located Flash and Super Girl split to take care of Shade while I went to take on Sinestro."

"While fighting Sinestro I used the powers of my ring to fend off an attack of his. When our two attacks met there was a struggle, and for the first time these two energies clashing in the way they did ripped open a black hole of sorts." Lantern glanced between all three of the Kents. "We were sucked in and then spit out here." He concluded for the most part while finally taking a drink from his glass.

Jonathan nodded his understanding to this and looked across at Green Lantern. "Sounds simple enough to understand. But you see, the thing is, none of us have ever heard of your names or the Justice League before." He pointed out while offering a rather apologetic look to all three of them. "I'm sorry."

Flash shot a double take at the guy sitting down from him and near choked on his own words that weren't forming right in his mouth. On the other hand, Super Girl was now staring down at her glass and just concentrating on the liquid inside. Lantern gave Flash a warning look to cut him off before anything was said that shouldn't be. Looking back at Jonathan, Lantern nodded his head just a bit in show of his own understanding to the confusion that there had to be in the small family. "That became apparent to me when we were yelled at by the town's police. You see, I believe what may have happened was that instead of just placing us in a different state and city, the black hole has placed us in an entirely different time frame than the one we come from." GL tried to explain so as not to confuse just the Kents but also Flash and Super Girl as well.

"Because things here look to be the same as the one we left, this has me wondering if maybe this means we're just in a past that is set in the frame of 2005 in mirror to our present. Or an alternate reality happening in a year we are from." Lantern finished knowing this last part would more than likely confuse them even further than they may have already been.

Super Girl looked over at GL with a rather perplexed expression upon her face as she did in fact understand every word he had stated, but was just lost for a moment as the reality of it all set in. _It makes sense I guess.._ As she mused silently to herself, Super Girl found that her gaze had drifted back over to Clark who was in turn now turning his attention over on to her at the same time. The pair stared at each other for a brief few seconds before casting their gaze else where as it apparently became uncomfortable between them.

Jonathan and Martha were quiet as were Flash and Green Lantern, as everyone was taking in this whole situation the best they could and trying to find a way in which to deal with it. After what seemed like an eternity of awkward silence between the group seated about the kitchen table, Clark was actually the first one to break the quiet as he voiced a question that had been running through Green Lantern's mind at that moment. "So, how are you going to get home if in fact you were taken through some sort of worm hole?" he asked while also pointing out the League's predicament.

Flash perked up at this and looked over at Lantern with a quizzical look upon his own masked face. "Yeah, that is actually a really good question." Flash stated as he studied the black man's face hoping to see some sort of answer as far as 'Yes I do have an answer to this' or 'Your guess is as good as mine'. However, Flash was unable to receive an answer by just looking for it in Lantern's facial expression as he held the same blank face of stone as always making it impossible to read anything. This had Flash slightly annoyed as he just sat there trying to also come up with an answer as well. And as luck would have it for some odd reason or another, Flash shot up in his seat as an idea struck him at that moment. "Hey, wait, I got it. Since it was because of the two opposing forces that your ring and Sinestro's caused in the first place that caused the hole, wouldn't it make sense just to have the same thing happen again and use the new hole to get back home?" Flash put out while also realizing at the same time the risk that might be involved in this.

Super Girl looked between Flash and GL as she waited to hear the reply to this or even a rebuttal at that. Right now it seemed as though Flash's idea was the most logic one of them all, especially since it was the only one offered after Clark stated his question. Finally letting her gaze remain on Green Lantern, Super Girl decided to add her agreement to what Flash had stated as well as maybe getting something out of GL at the same time. "I think Flash has a good idea." She stated in a quiet manner at first. "Maybe it would work GL."

Lantern shook his head now while crossing his arms over his chest. "In theory yes, but we don't know for a fact that if we replicate the exact happenings of the last hole that we would in fact end up back in our own timeline." Lantern pointed out while keeping his focus on his two comrades the whole time. "For all we know we could end up in some other timeline or even in a different world all together." He finished with the same look on his face as when he started.

Flash slumped in his chair and Super Girl returned her gaze to just staring at the table. The Kents had remained quiet for the most part as the three super heroes were discussing their options of how they were to return home while also thinking through what the Green Lantern had told them about being thrown into another reality separate from theirs. That part was the only thing that confused them the most, while it did seem to make sense at the same time in some really weird way. Martha was the next to raise a new question for the trio at this point which did seem to be a rather important one just as well. "Um, if you don't mind me asking, what are you going to do concerning a place to stay until you find your way back?"

_Good point! _Flash slumped even more now in his chair. All three of them were in their costumes with no change of clothes to conceal their identities from the rest of the world so they could walk about freely. That and there was now also the fact that they may be there for a good while, meaning they would need money to buy food and even a place to stay. _Man, sometimes being a super hero just isn't enough anymore! _Flash mentally groaned at this and glanced over at Super Girl who was holding a small amount of defeat on her face as she still continued to stare down at the table top and her glass. He could tell she wasn't taking this as calmly as Lantern was. _Hell even I'm having a bit of trouble taking this is stride. Then again, it's not the first time I've been shot into an alternate reality away from people I know. _Flash sighed quietly as he watched the teen heroine taking the reality of this situation for more than she really needed to at this point.

Flash kicked Super Girl gently under the table with his foot to get her attention on him, which he succeeded in doing as her royal blue eyes looked up at him with a bit a glare since he had kicked her. Smiling at the fact that he had at least accomplished the task of having the strongest woman alive a tad annoyed with him at that moment, Flash decided he offer some sort of advice to her. "Hey, S, you look a little out of it from that fight. Why don't you go outside and get some air." He suggested hoping that she would take him up on it and get away from such an intense situation that seemed near hopeless at this point.

Looking at Flash with a raised brow for a moment after he suggested getting some air, Super Girl looked over at Green Lantern who didn't seem to have an objection to this in the least. In fact he too had started to notice the way in which her body language was speaking to every one at the table. Lantern nodded at her with his go ahead to do so if she pleased and then waited to see what she would do. Seeing as how both adults were keen on the idea of her going outside, Super Girl just nodded her head quietly and then got up from the table and headed out the kitchen door to the porch. After the screen slammed behind her and she had taken the three steps down the porch, Super Girl took to the air only to take herself up on to the porch roof where she settled down and sat with her knees drawn up against her chest and arms wrapped around them in a hug.

She was feeling slightly over weighed with everything and the effects of the stressful situation were beginning to set in. _I wonder if the others are wondering where we're at since we didn't return to the tower. Maybe they have J'onn trying to find us with his powers! Wait, can J'onn even tell if we're in another reality? Ah! What are we going to do? _Super Girl placed both of her hands on either side of her blonde head and then ruffled her hair as her thoughts were becoming deeply troubled. "Man, what are we going to do? Even if we do find a way home we have to take Sinestro with us or this place is in a lot of trouble." She muttered to herself while folding her arms across the tops of her knees and then rested her chin upon them. While staring off into space and closing herself off to the world for a moment to dwell within her own thoughts, Super Girl hardly heard the slam of the screen door and the footsteps tracking their way across the porch and down the steps. Hearing this finally, Super Girl peeked over the edge of the roof to what the back of Clark Kent emerge from under the lip of the roof and enter the yard before it.

From the way he was turning his head from left to right she had to assume that he was looking for her. Raising and amused brow at this for the moment Super Girl then stood up from her seat on the roof and then stepped off the roof edge to gently float down to the ground just behind Clark. As it seemed that he was giving up hope in possibly locating the inhuman blonde, Clark went to turn back around and head into the house again but found his path blocked by the very person he had been looking for in the first place. A bit startled by the fact that she just seemingly appeared out of nowhere, Clark managed to recover quickly and give her a smile. "Hey, where did you come from?" he asked curious to know how she did in fact manage to do something like that without him hearing it.

"I was on the roof." Super Girl answered bluntly while crossing her arms over her chest and just staring at him with a rather passive look that meant nothing of annoyance or boredom. "You were looking for me, weren't you?" she asked while tilting her head now to the side just slightly so that her blonde hair fell in a different direction.

Clark felt a bit of embarrassment come over him as he knew she had figured out as to why he was outside. Nodding his head in reply Clark gave a rather sheepish look before answering verbally. "Yeah, I was." He stated in agreement to her question. "You seemed kind of upset inside, are you okay?" he asked while taking a few steps towards her and trying to read her facial expression and body langue to catch the answer early. "Well, I mean aside from the whole being away from your home and all." Clark stated in an attempt to sound completely dumb since he knew the teen and her friend's plight at the moment.

Super Girl sighed and dropped her arms to her side and walked forward passing Clark to go out further into the yard. "I guess. I mean how else should I feel other than depressed in the fact that I might not get back home at all or ever see my cousin again at that. Not forgetting the fact that there's Sinestro hanging around as well to cause all kinds of messed up hell for Smallville." She pointed out in answer to Clark's first question while coming to a stop some five feet from him and just stared out at the large barn before her.

Understanding a little as to how Super Girl was feeling Clark followed after her to where she stood and took notice of what she was staring at. The way in which she was staring caused Clark to raise a curious bro w to this at first before realizing that she was in fact concentrating in the same manner he did when using his x-ray vision. "You have x-ray vision too?" he asked out right while coming to stand in front of her knowing that this would cause Super Girl to see through to his skeleton for the most part as he did when looking at other people.

Startled to say the least at Clark's sudden question he sprung upon her while coming right into her line of vision, Super Girl jerked her head backwards for a brief second in reaction to this. Thus this also disrupted her concentration and caught a mere glimpse of Clark's skeleton before she just looked at him in 'normal' vision with a rather confused look on her face. "Yeah, it's a power I was born with. Both me and my cousin are aliens to Earth, how did you know I was using x-ray vision?" she asked as she changed in mid-sentence to a completely different subject as she was beginning to see something further into this Clark Kent that she had doubts upon.

"I, well…I think that's pretty obvious……" Clark trailed off as he was indicating to the happenings in the fight earlier in which Sinestro had tried to attack the Kent family and failed after Clark blocked the shot with himself as a shield.

Super Girl studied Clark a moment before stepping closer to him she seemed now to be intently studying him for her own conclusions to this situation. The fact that was nearly up in his face as she was had Clark feeling just a bit nervous and a little uneasy which showed somewhat in half appearance on his face. After a moment of an awkward silence between them, Super Girl finally stepped back and gave him a rather odd look as it seemed she still wasn't quite sure about what she thought of Clark. Allowing her gaze to come away from the direct stare she was giving Clark, Super Girl gave him a small smile. "Yeah, I think I understand." She assured him.

Clark smiled back at her in a rather relieved manner as it seemed she wasn't going to berate him with a million questions at that moment. Still, he was curious to know if all her powers like his and if maybe they had a connection through other means than just the fact that maybe it was coincidence they both shared similar powers. "So," Clark started while placing his hands inside his jacket pockets out of some nervous instinct. "What other powers do you have exactly? I mean, I saw you through a car around like it was toy earlier today and then fly away afterwards." He recalled from memory while keeping his own gaze on Super Girl. "And now I know you have x-ray vision as well."

Super Girl gave a small laugh that she kept confined behind her lips and allowed an even larger smile cut across her face. "I guess that was pretty obvious." She stated while crossing her arms over her chest in a casual manner before glancing down at the ground for a moment and then back to Clark. "You what to know all my powers? How do I know you're not some evil villain out to extort any weakness I may have?" she asked in a sly teasing manner that both her and Clark grinning widely at the same time.

"Even if I was, there isn't anything that could convince me to even try and take you on at this point in a one on one fight." Clark replied. "Not after seeing you knock that Sinestro guy around as you did."

"Hey, funny and smart." Super Girl jested while keeping the smile on her face that didn't seem to be on the verge of leaving any time soon. "Well, yeah, I have super strength, the ability to fly, I can move at speeds that dominate the velocity of a speeding bullet, x-ray vision, heat vision, and I'm invulnerable." She rattled off her list of powers that were a mirror image to her cousin and were what made her the strongest woman alive. Even Wonder Woman had told her once that even in a fare fight there'd be a chance that she would prove to be much stronger than her. That was something that Super Girl had come to take to heart in a sense that the older members of the JLA did hold equal ground with them, even if she was still seventeen.

Listening to Super Girl state her powers one right after the other had Clark held in a thrall of silence as he was shocked down to his core as each one, aside from the free will of flight, mirrored every single one that he possessed as well. _There is something about this that just isn't coincidence. After all, she did say that both she and a cousin were aliens to the planet. Maybe, maybe, she's just like me! _Clark was unaware of the way in which he was now staring at Super Girl until he noticed the odd look he was receiving in turn from her as reaction to the near gawking stare he had plastered all over his face. Shaking the look from his face and forming his question mentally first, Clark decided it was worth a shot to see if he could get the super hero's real name aside from the alias she used. "I was wondering…" he stated slowly knowing that this might in fact offend her some way or other if he didn't ask it right. "Um, if you didn't mind, could you tell me your real name? I mean, if that's something you don't want anyone to know I completely understand." Clark covered quickly hoping that he hadn't in fact caused to become annoyed with him after that question.

Super Girl just stared at him for a moment wondering if she should give out her identity so freely, even if they were in an alternate reality from their own. What if they had to stay here for a long time? Could she trust someone who shared an exact name as her own cousin with her true identity? And more importantly, what would Lantern and Flash say if they found out she had given out her name when she knew it something you just didn't do with random strangers when you were a super hero? Being confused was one thing, but the fact that she had confused herself with her own thoughts and questions caused Super Girl to finally just shake her head mentally as she made up her mind. Something told her she could in fact trust this Clark Kent even if GL and Flash didn't think so. "As long as I can trust you to keep it to yourself and not call me by it around GL and Flash, or parents." she warned with a stern look in her eye.

"Yeah, you can trust me. I know how to keep secrets." Clark answered with a knowing look of understanding in his eyes and even in the tone of his voice.

Giving another once over of her choice before letting out her name, Super Girl looked back over her shoulder to make sure that neither GL or Flash was coming outside at that every moment. Seeing as how the coast was clear and it didn't look like Sinestro was going to come sweeping in at that moment and find out for himself as well, Super Girl looked at Clark with a bit of a flustered look as she was still unsure if it was okay to just tell him. Her eyes caught sight of the barn again and this struck an idea. "Can we go inside that barn before I tell you? I'm just slightly paranoid that the wrong person might hear and there goes my secret identity." She stated while gesturing with her head at the barn behind him.

Clark glanced over his shoulder. He couldn't blame her for being paranoid like she said she was. After all, letting your deepest secrets out and having the wrong people hear them could end up causing major problems for everyone. That was something Clark knew all too well. Looking back at Super Girl he nodded. "Yeah sure. I have a loft in there that's actually a lot more comfortable than it sounds." He assured her with a small grin before turning about and leading her across the yard to the barn itself. Inside, Clark shut the barn doors half way and then continued to lead Super Girl up a flight of stairs to a second level in the barn and then up small three step flight that brought them up onto the loft floor.

Looking around at her new surroundings in the barn, Super Girl was actually kind of impressed with how nice something like a loft could look. There were a couple of couches set up along with a desk and chair to the side. Over near the hay door, which had its lower doors locked, was set a telescope pointed up at the sky. Something about this little hangout caused Super Girl to smile while walking more towards the center while Clark went to clear the mess of papers off one of the couches. "So, is this like your little personal getaway?" she asked while looking over at Clark with an amused look on her face.

"I guess you could say that." Clark answered as he crossed the floor to drop a stack of papers on his desk before coming over to Super Girl's side as she had now moved towards the hay door and was currently examining the telescope there. "I usually just come up here when I need some time alone to think."

That statement reminded Super Girl of something. Not just a something, a place she would go to and find some time to herself when she needed to be away from the rest of the world. A smirk crossed her face as she looked over at Clark. "So what, it's like your Fortress of Solitude?" she asked, knowing that the fact she said something like that would sound as if she were poking some fun at the Kent boy, but instead his reaction to her teasing question was just a simple smile that caught her off guard.

"Yeah, something like that." Clark replied while looking off into the night sky for a moment before returning to the reason as to why they were there in the first place. "Paranoia subsided yet?" he asked knowing that this might sound as though he were teasing her for a reason she had every right to.

Super Girl looked over her shoulder at the dimly lit loft and then looked back to the Clark. "For now." She answered simply while a smile started to tug a bit at the corner of her mouth. "You know for some really weird reason I feel like I can trust you. It's weird because, I just met you like twenty minutes ago after I destroyed your shed and a part of a fence. I can't put my finger on it yet, but I think it has something to do with your name." The expression on her face softened to a look of deep trust that had Clark feeling as though he really did have a connection to her that he could hopefully find out through just knowing her name. "My name is Kara Zor-El, and I'm from the planet of Krypton."

Clark looked a bit on the dumbstruck side as the name sounded so similar to that of his own. He gave her a smile, "It's nice to meet you Kara." He stated while extending a hand to her in friendly gesture.

A sense of peace and clam came over her for some reason after hearing Clark call her by her birth name. There was something there she knew wasn't an attraction in a romantic sense or anything like that. No, but there was an attraction. One that felt as though she had family right there with her at that very moment. _That has to be the only possible explanation as to why his name is Clark Kent. This is my cousin when he was my age living in Smallville. We're in his past. _Kara placed her hand within Clark's and shook hands with him. "It's nice to meet you too Clark." She returned with a happier tone to her voice than she had exhibited since arriving on the farm.

"I'll keep your secret safe Kara." Clark stated as their handshake ended and they released their hold on one another. "You know, sense you trust me with your identity, I can trust you with a secret of my own." The look in his eyes showed just how much he did trust her now. Not just because she had given her trust to him by revealing her name, but because she was just like him and at the same age. It was more than likely that Kara would understand what he was going through with dealing with his inhuman powers, and because of that, Clark knew he would finally have someone to actually talk to about them and be able to relate better than his own parents could.


	4. The Cousin Façade

Chapter Four

The cousin façade

Clark pulled his truck into an open parking space in front of the Talon and placed the vehicle into park. After turning the engine off and pulling the key from the ignition, Clark looked over at the blonde sitting on the passenger side looking rather nervous as she fidgeted in her seat while staring out the window. Clark had to grin just a bit at this before reaching over and laying a hand on her shoulder so that her attention left the window and came to rest on him instead. "Nervous much?" he asked in a slight jest while removing his hand from her shoulder and unbuckling hi seatbelt.

"That obvious?" she asked while managing a weak smile in reply to his question.

Clark was still grinning as he nodded his head and opened the car door to get out, leaving the blonde to watch him come around the front of the truck after closing his door and coming to her side. Being the well mannered guy he was Clark had come around to open the passenger door for her. Still looking very nervous and unsure, Kara unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car. Waiting for Clark on the sidewalk she looked up at the old theater now turned into a coffee house. The sound of men talking just down from her to the left had Kara looking to see what was going on. She winced as three guys in overalls carried a new sheet of glass to the window that had been broken the day before. Knowing the reason as to why the window had to be replaced wasn't resting easy on Kara as she watched them sit the new pane within the frame and then begin the process of adhering it in with a waterproof seal.

"That wasn't your fault." Clark stated as he came to stand beside Kara and watch the window being replaced. "You weren't the one who threw the car through the window."

Kara looked up at Clark, as he did stand a few inches taller than her at this point, and gave him a half hearted smile. "I know. It's just that, I still feel bad when it happens." She looked back over at the workers and sighed quietly as a bit of guilt was there on her for the trouble that the fight with Sinestro had caused for this part of the town.

Seeing as how Kara was going to continue to feel responsible for the mess unless her mind was distracted with something else, Clark took the initiative and gestured over to the doors of the Talon. "Why don't we go inside and get something to drink?" he suggested while looking at Kara's face to see if it had worked. It had, because she was now looking over at the doors and then returned her royal blue-eyed gaze back to him with that nervous smile coming across her face. Clark grinned at her and went to the doors first after seeing that she was going to be way to shy to go in first. Pushing open the door and going in first, Clark held the door open for Kara who timidly followed in after him.

There were quite a few customers inside sitting about with various types of coffee in hand while they were either seated at a table or on a couch talking with one another. Clark let the door close and came up behind Kara who was just standing there looking around at the coffee house. It had been one hell of job for the two of them to convince both Clark's parents and the older League members to allow Clark and Kara to go into town and visit the Talon so soon after the fight. That was, after Green Lantern had finally taken the Kents up on their offer to stay on their farm until they could figure out a way to both grab Sinestro and get home.

_Flash came out the kitchen door on to the back porch looking for both Super Girl and Clark seeing as how they had both taken leave from the conversation inside. Neither teen was to be found on the porch or in the yard at that moment and this had Flash scratching his head. "Where'd you go to now S?" he asked quietly under his breath while stepping down the porch steps and coming to stand in the yard. Still looking around from his position, Flash was getting ready to jet around the entire farm to find the two teens until his attention was drawn to the barn from which he heard a girl's laugh emanate from at that moment._

_Feeling relieved that he at least knew where Super Girl was, Flash just shook his head as he zipped across the yard and in through the barn doors, up the stairs, and came to stand right before Super Girl and Clark who were both laughing about something that they had been talking about. Flash held a rather amused look on his face with his arms crossed over his chest. His sudden arrival had both teens looking up at him from their seats on the couches with somewhat startled looks on their faces that were still cracking with suppressed laughter. "What's so funny?" Flash asked as a grin of his own was beginning to form on his masked face._

_Super Girl managed to bring herself under control first so that she could speak without breaking into a laugh while she answered Flash. "Nothing, Clark was just telling me a funny story that happened to him awhile back ago. That's all." She replied while smiling up at Flash with a small laugh escaping her right afterwards. _

"_A funny story, uh? What happened?" Flash asked as he was now curious about this and wanted to hear it for himself._

_Clark looked a tad embarrassed in having to retell the story again seeing as how the first time around wasn't that easy in the least. "Well, um, back about a year or so this pesticide company owned by Richmond Industries wanted to build one of their plants here in Smallville. The guy who owned the company wanted to buy the farm and build the plant here, and he somehow managed to get my dad to do it which I thought would have been near impossible but he did. I had my suspicions about the guy and went to do some investigating."_

"_My friend Chloe Sullivan from school helped me out with the investigation and found out that at one point the guy had been partners with a man named Kyle who lived alone in the woods selling some really abstract sculpture art. When we went to go ask Kyle some questions and found out what we needed to know. Apparently this guy who owned the pesticide company was using some sort of weird power of persuasion on everyone to get what he wanted. Chloe didn't believe it and in order for her to understand, Kyle used that same power on her to, uh," Clark started to become a bit uncomfortable as he was nearing the part that apparently Super Girl had found funny. "Well, he convinced her to confess hidden feelings for me, and to make a long story short Chloe ended up kissing me and not remembering it until about a minute after the affect ended, the end."_

_Super Girl had a hand over her mouth as she looked off over at the wall across from her trying desperately not to laugh again as she knew it had embarrassed Clark the first time 'round. Flash on the other hand was nodding his head while taking the story for himself and then was quiet for a moment before a rather large smile started to crack its way across his face as he was seeing what the teen super hero had found so funny with it. "Well, that's an interesting story to say the least." Flash stated while finding the humor in the situation Clark had been put in. "How did your friend take it when she realized what had happened?" _

_Clark glanced over at Super Girl and watched as the blonde heroine was ready to fall over sideways on the couch as she was near failing in keeping herself from laughing out loud. "Well, uh, she was embarrassed." Clark answered in partial truth as he wasn't too sure about how Chloe felt after the whole incident. He could only tell from the fact that she avoided eye contact with him for about two weeks that she was mortally embarrassed beyond belief. _

_Flash was of course maintaining a somewhat decent exposure on the outside, but inside he was cracking up. Even though it had to have been bad for the poor girl, for that weird reason when others heard the story later you couldn't help but laugh, and both Flash and Super Girl were experiencing this side affect at the moment. Clark had at been slightly embarrassed to retell the story twice, but since seeing as how neither super hero was poking fun at him or Chloe, he allowed a grin to find its way on to his face. Both Flash and Super Girl knew what it was like through personal experience to be placed in a situation like that and have someone else laugh about it later, so neither one meant any harm as they found the humor in it all._

_After all three managed to regain some sort of composure on the different levels of laughter each were on, Flash looked over at Super Girl and held a smaller grin on his face. "That reminds me. I came out here to find the two of you, well mostly you S." he stated while dropping his arms from their crossed position on his chest and placing them on either side of his waist. "GL wants you inside so you can hear out what we've settled on for the time being." _

_Both Clark and Super Girl exchanged curious looks with one another and then shrugged as they got up off the couches and followed after Flash back towards the house. Inside the dinning room again with everyone seated around the table once more, Green Lantern took a moment before speaking to Super Girl and everyone at the same time. "After you left, myself, Flash and the Kents discussed the situation and have come to a conclusion that should work out for us until we can figure out a way back home and a way to grab Sinestro as well." GL stated while still holding that trademark expression of just blank emotion on his face so no one could read him correctly. "The Kents have offered to let us stay on their farm in their guest rooms until we have our plans straight."_

_Super Girl's eyes lit up for a moment after hearing this as she had already come to conclude that this Clark Kent was her cousin's past self at her age, and saw this now as an opportunity to get to know her cousin on a level similar to her age. Her reaction was noticed by Flash and barely caught by Green Lantern in which both noted this and made a mental reminder to confront Super Girl on the matter later on before she let anything slip that shouldn't be revealed. Clark on the other hand seemed to have a similar reaction as Super Girl but managed to keep his hidden a bit better from the adults. With that settled and one less thing to worry about, Martha took the trio up to the home's second floor and showed them their individual rooms. The rest of the night was spent settling the super heroes in and finding them some replacement clothes for the time being. Both Flash and Green Lantern borrowed some older clothes of Jonathan's that were found to fight their more muscular frames, while Martha dug around to find something for Super Girl that would fit her. However, seeing as how Super Girl was about the same height as Clark and not as petit as Martha was, that proved to be a bit more difficult._

_In the end, Super Girl was given pieces of clothing from both Martha and Clark to wear. Later on after they were settled in and some of the essential things taken care of, Super Girl was able to corner both Flash and GL to talk about letting the Kents know their secret identities since it wouldn't do them any good if they were called by their super hero names the whole time when they weren't on active duty. After what seemed like a thirty-minute argument with Flash siding on the matter with Super Girl, Green Lantern finally caved. The Kents were then given the names of the heroes in which to call them by; John Stewart – The Green Lantern, Wally West – The Flash (which shocked Clark to say the least), and Kara Zor-El – Super Girl. After they were reintroduced to the small family, both Kara and Clark headed back out to the barn's loft to continue talking while the adults continued their conversations before turning in for the night._

Clark spotted a couple of open spots at the counter and ushered Kara over so that way they could get their drinks. While Clark already knew what he was going to have, Kara had no idea as she stared up at the menus hanging on the wall behind the counter reading over every offered item that they had to offer at the Talon. As her eyes read over the different types of drinks, Clark couldn't help but grin at this and then after she was still in a state of indecisiveness he nudged her arm with his elbow. Once her royal blue orbs were staring at him with a quizzical look within them, Clark's grin grew a bit brighter. "How about I just get you the same thing that I'm getting?" he suggested.

"You know, that sounds just a whole lot easier." Kara replied while a sheepish grin flooded across her face. While Clark made the order for two White Chocolate Lattes, Kara turned away from the counter and leaned back against it as she scanned the inside of the Talon. From the looks of it, it seemed as though that whole fight in the street yesterday hadn't even occurred as the patrons were so involved with their own on goings. As her gaze was coming back towards the left as she had started out from the right, her eyes came across a young man who looked to be a bit older than herself and Clark. Kara had just passed over him casual at first but something about the fact that the guy was coming towards them caused her to do a double take.

The guy approaching them had at least the same amount of height advantage on her as Clark did and maybe a bit more, and wore a very stylish business suit that Kara guessed to be maybe Armani or some other designer label as it was dark in color with lighter pin striping. The odd thing about him was, for some one so young, he was completely bald. Not that this caused Kara to think any different of him before even knowing who he was, it just caused the young Kryptonian to feel a sense of greater maturity to him that stood out from everyone else in the room. Like someone else she knew, but didn't hold in that much of a high respect. Kara silently choked as she noticed that he was staring rather intently at her for a moment before calling out Clark's name to gain his attention. "Clark." The guy stopped just before them and waited for Clark to turn around and face him.

Having finished ordering his and Kara's drinks, Clark turned around. After seeing who it was, Clark smiled and acknowledge him. "Hey Lex." Clark greeted while shaking hands with him as he did. "How's everything at the mansion?" he asked making small talk with Lex, and actually caring to hear what he had to say. After all, Lex was Clark's best friend.

"Quiet for the most part." Lex answered while his own blue-eyed gaze remained focused on the blonde beside his friend. "I don't believe we've met." He stated while holding out a hand to the girl and giving a rather charming smile. "Lex Luthor."

Mentally, Kara went wide-eyed and dropped her jaw in shock as she now realized why this guy looked so familiar to her, but on the outside she gave him a small smile and shook hands with him. "Kara." She introduced herself while maintaining her inner emotions in a controlled check the best she could at this point. _Lex Luthor! How in the hell…? Just play it cool Kara and try not let anything slip up. _"It's nice to meet you Mr. Luthor." At this the two ended their hand shake and Kara discreetly stepped closer to Clark's side as a plan was starting to form in her head as she knew what the next possible questions coming from Lex might be.

"Please, call me Lex." Lex insisted politely with that same smile gracing his face and his eyes remaining solely on her, which was now causing Clark to become a tad uncomfortable with. "So, is there a last name to that first one?" he asked while his charming smile turned to a rather jovial smirk as he hoped to get the young lady's full name, in which he might learn a bit more about her just through that.

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's Kent." She stated with that same sweet smile on her face and reflecting in her eyes. _Yup, still as smooth and charming as he is as a grown adult. God, Clark, if you only knew what this guy is going to be like when you've become the world's greatest hero. _

After hearing Kara's answer, Clark looked at her with a rather startled expression on his face as he hadn't be expecting that at all. Lex too seemed a tad surprised by this and looked between the blonde and the brunette standing side by side before him. Before Lex could catch it in time, Clark had covered up his own personal confusion as to why Kara had named herself a Kent and watched her from the corner of his eye as she just seemed to be playing it way too cool. _What the heck made her come up with that? Well, no duh. She wouldn't be going around and using the last name of Zor-El since that would cause trouble in every which way possible. _

"Kent?" Lex looked at Kara with a rather amused look on his face. Something didn't seem right in the fact that the two of them could be brother and sister as Lex knew that Clark was an only child and that no one in his family was that blonde. Even Jonathan Kent wasn't that fair haired as Kara was.

Kara nodded to Lex in the assurance that she was a Kent. "Yeah. I'm Clark's cousin from his dad's side. I came down from Metropolis to visit for a while." She explained while looking over at Clark during the last part of her sentence and gave him a hidden wink with her left eye, cluing Clark in to play along with her before returning her attention back to Lex.

Satisfied with her answer as it did seem to fit together, and that Lex didn't really know anything about Jonathan Kent's side of the family, he gave Kara nod of his head and a bigger smile. "Well it's nice to meet you Kara Kent. I had no idea that Clark had such a beautiful cousin hidden from me." Lex turned his attention over to Clark who was at the moment still looking at Kara but caught that Lex was looking at him now. "And here I thought we were friends." He joked while taking the rolled up newspaper he had in hand and smacking Clark in a friendly way on his arm.

"Oh well, Kara and I haven't seen each other in a while so I guess it just must have slipped my mind." Clark replied while he was starting to get the hang of the cover story Kara had laid out for him to follow.

Lex laughed at this as it seemed just like Clark to forget about a cousin he hadn't seen in a while. Before Lex was able to make a reply to what Clark had said or talk with Kara further, his cell phone rang inside his coat pocket. Giving the two Kent teens an apologetic look he pulled his phone out and answered it on the third ring. After a few short words with who ever was on the other line, Lex hung up and then looked at the cousins with another apologetic look mixed with a sort of annoyance that he tried to keep hidden from them. "I need to get back to the mansion." He stated bluntly to the two of them and then turned his attention on Kara. "It was nice meeting you Kara. Maybe if the two of you aren't too busy later this afternoon, I would like to have you over for lunch."

Kara and Clark exchanged looks with one another before Clark answered for the both of them with a – "Yeah, sure."

"Good. Come by at around say, noon." Lex stated while his gaze stayed fixed on Kara, who was staring back with a passive expression and a glint of something in her eyes he couldn't read just yet. "I'll see you two later." He waved to them while heading towards the door and taking his leave finally.

After Lex left the Talon the two teens just stood there staring after him even long after he had sped off in his silver Porsche. They were snapped to attention when the waitress behind the counter called out Clark's name with his two drink orders ready to be claimed. Kara stayed where she was while Clark turned back around and grabbed the orders from the waitress and thanked her before turning back to Kara and handing her a large paper cup with steam coming through the drink hole on the lid. "So, that was an interesting cover up you used with Lex." Clark commented as he led the way towards an open couch, well love seat as it was called since it could seat two people comfortably.

Kara felt slightly nervous as she didn't think the real explanation behind why she had chosen that certain cover for her wasn't a wise idea to speak about until she confronted John and Wally about it later. "Uh yeah. Well I figured that it might seem believable." She replied while sitting down next to Clark on the couch and took a drink of her White Chocolate Latte.

"I guess it was believable. Lex usually would have pressed the subject even further, but I think he actually believes that we're cousins." Clark pointed out while leaning against the couch arm so he could look at Kara in more comfortable position for his head and neck. "Still, how did you come up with that so quickly?"

Shrugging at the question Kara tried her best to maintain a somewhat innocent exposure for herself without having to expose more than need be to Clark. "Eh, I've done it once or twice before." She lied while taking another drink from her latte. "This is pretty good." Kara stated while looking over at Clark in an attempt to change the subject without being found out as she did it.

Clark smiled at this. "I'm glad to hear it." He stated while taking another drink from his latte and then decided to continue on with a different conversation as it appeared Kara wanted to avoid the whole 'cousin' cover up story for the time. "I hope you don't mind the fact that I told Lex we would be there at the mansion for lunch."

Kara shook her blonde head, her hair having been pulled back into half bun with an elastic hair tie that Martha had given her before leaving the house. "No, it's fine. Just from talking to him I could tell he wasn't going to take 'No' for an answer from us." She answered with a small half hearted smile that at least showed she was somewhat okay with the whole lunch thing. That statement had Clark trying to keep a laugh down to a minimum and Kara found some humor in it. _You have no idea how persuasive that man really can be. _Kara thought bitterly to herself while keeping up the happy front outside for Clark to see.

"Yeah, that's Lex." Clark agreed before taking another sip of his drink. "One way or another he would have gotten us to agree and come anyways."

"Oh I see, you just decided not to beat the bush to death, so to speak." Kara mused as she was now starting to poke fun at him in good humor as an impish smile started to grow across her face at the same time.

Both teens laughed in amusement of their conversation, but where interrupted at the front door to the Talon opened a couple of more high school teens walked in together. Clark looked over and recognized who it was that had just walked in as his eyes lit up and caught Kara's attention to bring it over into the same direction he was staring in. The two teens who had walked in were a boy and a girl, and they were both now headed over towards Clark and Kara's direction after the girl spotted them and informed her friend beside her. Even before they had crossed the room entirely, Kara could already tell that the girl was one of those people who seemed to always have a smile on her face and a very positive attitude as well as a rather hyper personality. At least that was her take on the short haired blonde. The boy on the other hand, kind of reminded Kara of a teenaged Green Lantern. Just without the rough personality and stern look.

"Hey Clark!" the blonde greeted while both she and the boy came to a halt just before the couch that her friend and unknown female occupied. "Who's your new friend?" she asked with a pleasant smile on her face, although Kara could have sworn she had seen a flame of some other emotion flicker for a moment in her eyes.

"Guys, this is my cousin Kara." Clark stated while introducing her with same cover story they had told Lex. It only made sense to keep it up. If Kara had been introduced in some other way to his two friends, then somehow word would get back to Lex and things would get a bit hairy to say the least. "She's visiting from Metropolis for a while. Kara, these are my friends Chloe and Pete. We go to school together."

Kara smiled up at the two and held out a hand to them in show of friendly gesture. "It's nice to meet you both." She greeted while shaking hands first with Chloe, who seemed to have instantly lost whatever it was she had seen in her eyes, and then with Pete. Both took up a seat in the now free couch that sat at an angle facing the one the 'cousins' sat in together.

"So Clark Kent has a cousin." Chloe mused with a mischievous grin on her face as she looked between the two and noticed the rather odd resemblance in both of them that didn't seem to make sense for the moment to her. _I know Clark was adopted. But why do they both look like they really are related to one another. I can see it in the face and the eyes. It's just weird, because it's almost like I see a blonde female version of Clark right there before me._ "What other family members don't we know of?" she teased while keeping her one thousand and one questionnaire to herself for the time being.

Clark smiled nervously at Chloe's remark and avoided having to answer the question by taking a drink from his latte and hoped that Kara could do something to distract his friend. However, it wasn't Kara who spoke up first. "Geez, Chloe, you're acting like it's some star sighting." Pete stated while sitting back in his chair and grinning at his friend seated a space from him on the couch. "I mean, it's only Clark's cousin."

"I know, but I've never heard of a cousin before. So I'm just curious as to where Clark has been hiding her for the past sixteen, seventeen years from us all here in Smallville." Chloe grinned over at Kara. She wasn't trying to be rude in any way shape or form, it was just that her reporter's instinct had her sometimes sounding that way, and Chloe knew it.

Kara realized that Chloe was, in a way, apologizing for sounding so nosey just after meeting her and Kara nodded at her with an assuring smile that there weren't any problems between them. After all, super heroes needed to be understanding and forgiving. _As quoted by my great cousin so many times. _She laughed mentally so as not to receive odd stares from the others and have to explain herself so she didn't look like a total weird-o to them. "Oh well, I've been hiding out in Metropolis." Kara answered as she then took a drink from her cooling latte.

"If you don't mind me asking, what side of the Kent family are you related to?" Chloe asked while leaning forward and propping her elbow up on her knee and resting her chin within her hand. Her gaze was fixated upon Kara as she was trying to figure it out before the girl had a chance to answer.

"I'm Jonathan's niece." She answered which caught Chloe a little off guard. "That's where the blue eyes come from." Kara added while gesturing to the pair of royal blue orbs that sat within her face under long side sweeping bangs of corn silk blonde.

Pete nodded to this as he understood now the origin of this Kent family member and looked over to Chloe with a grin on his face. "Satisfied?" he asked knowing she wasn't in the least bit done with asking the girl a million more questions down to what her favorite color was and breed of dog.

Meeting Pete's gaze, Chloe pouted while sitting up. "And what is that supposed to mean?" she asked. "Can I help it if my reporter instinct kicks in every time someone interesting pops up in Smallville?" she asked while looking over at Clark for support. All she received was a shrug from him as he avoided answering this question as well in taking a drink from his latte and finishing it off finally.

"Now that's the first time someone has called me interesting." Kara stated while looking over at Clark as she was realizing his little scheme to avoid answering his friend. "At least out right." She added in as her mind clicked back to meeting Lex at the door.

Chloe's head snapped back to Kara as she had been spurred to pursue the small comment. "What do you mean by that?" she asked while scouching to the near edge of the couch so she could be at a better hearing range to catch Kara's answer.

This time Clark decided to step in and save Kara from any more questions. "I introduced Kara to Lex when we got here, and he invited us to the mansion for lunch this afternoon." He answered and gave Chloe a look that said 'enough questions'.

At the mention of Lex's name, Pete seemed to automatically tense up and Kara caught it out of the corner of her eye. _I take it that Pete doesn't like Lex that much. I don't really blame him. Only, at this point in his life Lex actually seems like a decent person rather than an evil man bent on someday taking over the world and killing of my cousin. I wonder what happened to change him. _"Should I be worried Pete?" Kara asked bringing both Clark and Chloe to look over at him with questioning looks written across their faces.

"Not really sense you have Clark with you. But I would suggest that you don't get to comfortable around him." Pete stated as casually as possible while glancing over at Clark, who just sighed and sat back in his seat on the couch. Somehow the fact that Clark reacted this way caused Pete to look a bit upset before shaking his head and changing the subject. "So Clark, what did your parents think about that whole incident with those super powered people yesterday?" Pete asked in a complete change of attitude as he seemed just as excited as a little kid over a brand new toy.

"Yeah that's right. You were both almost hit by a flying car." Chloe stated as she seemed to be smacking herself in the forehead mentally at completely forgetting the most odd event to occur yet in Smallville aside from the other oddities that occurred like almost regularly. "Pete said there was girl there who lifted a car up and tossed it like a toy, and then flew away afterwards." Chloe recounted the story she had heard and then looked over at Kara with a twinkle in her eyes. "Did you hear about that Kara?" she asked in the same excited way as Pete was acting.

Kara had been totally shocked when Pete started talking about what she had done the other day, as of course he didn't know it was her, and was now trying to hide both that and the nervousness running through her from Chloe. "Uh, yeah. Clark told me about it. Weird." Kara commented in a forced way of nonchalant acting that seemed to pass as Chloe nodded in agreement before jumping into the story again. As she was free from Chloe's sights, Kara exhaled and took another few sips of her now lukewarm latte.

"So, do you think these people are like vigilanties?" Chloe asked of all three people sitting around with her.

Pete shook his head. "No way. If they were vigilanties then they'd be like that dude in Gotham City I've been hearing about. They were more like…super heroes than anything else." Pete stated as he was starting to grow even more excited. "That one guy in green and black was really cool, I mean he could fly too like that girl. I wonder what name he goes by." At this Pete seemed to stare off into space as he was reminiscing about the previous day's events.

"Green Lantern."

All eyes were shot right upon Kara as she was taking another drink from her cup and hadn't realized what she had just said out loud. Clark on the other hand seemed to be near panic on the inside as it reflected in his eyes but was covered up as his face only showed shock like both Chloe and Pete. Kara looked up from what she had been occupied with and looked from each gawking face about her, slightly confused as to why they were looking at her like that. "What?"

"You just said Green Lantern." Chloe restated what she had heard Kara say in response to Pete's question. "Like you knew his name or something." A slender brow was raised in amusement to this as Chloe starting see that Kara knew more than she let on about what happened yesterday.

Realizing that she had let slip John's hero alias and no else knew of the black hero's name, Kara smacked herself mentally and quickly tried to come up with an answer while hoping to do so fast so that Chloe wouldn't get any further ideas. "Uh well, I heard someone saying the name when Clark and I arrived here…at the Talon…outside." Kara answered in attempt to save herself. Which for the most part seemed to work as Chloe just nodded to this and gave a suspicious – "uh-hu".

An unsettling silence fell upon the group and Clark took this as the possible cue for him and Kara to leave. Looking at his watch, Clark made the quick announcement. "Oh, hey, look at the time. We better head out so we were not late for lunch." Clark stated while standing up rather quickly.

Kara's brow furrowed in confusion as she looked up at Clark, who in turn gave her a look that her realizing what he was hinting at. Her eyes widen as she finally got what he was implying and then looked over at Pete and Chloe quickly before standing up as well. "Oh right." She stated in agreement with Clark.

"Aw, you guys have to leave now?" Chloe asked, as she apparently had seen or understood why Clark had jumped to his feet so quickly and was now urging Kara to do the same before anything else was pressed by the novice reporter in training. "It's only like…" Chloe looked at her own watch strapped to her wrist and then back up at the cousins. "Eleven-fifteen. Don't people usually eat lunch at like noon or does Lex dine earlier than that?" she joked half-heartedly.

"Actually, Lex wanted us to come over at noon but I have to run a few errands for my mom while I'm in town." Clark explained, as it was somewhat true, only he just had to drop off a few things at the post office and that was it.

Chloe and Pete both stood up to politely say good-bye to their friend and his cousin, as it would have been rude to remain seated while doing so. "It was nice meeting you Kara." Pete stated as he shook hands with her, noting this time that for such a lean looking girl her hand shake was rather firm. "How long are you staying in Smallville?" he asked after their hand shake ended.

_I have no idea. _"For a while. I haven't seen Clark and my aunt and uncle in a long time." Kara answered while looking to Chloe who was beaming at her. "Chloe, it was a pleasure to meet you." She grinned while shaking hands with the fellow blonde.

"Yeah, same here. I hope we can talk again sometime while you're visiting." Chloe stated as she was disappointed in the fact that the two of them were taking off right when she had just met the blonde Kent.

"Yeah, sure." Kara still grinned at Chloe as the peppy blonde was starting to grow on her. _I just hope I can avoid any other questions that might get me in trouble with John later. That's the last thing I need. Having a Green Lantern mad at me and keeping me under supervision until we find Sinestro and a way home. _Mentally cringing at this, Kara just continued to keep her grin up.

"I'll see you guys later." Clark stated to Chloe and Pete while now ushering his 'cousin' towards the door while waving back at his friends so he didn't seem that rude to them in the manner he was leaving. As they were now out of ear-shot and coming closer to the front door of the Talon, Clark exhaled in relief. "Man, Chloe gets way to close in finding out the truth sometimes."

Kara looked back at Clark as she was now leading the way to the door since he had pushed her before him to start their take of leave. "Sometimes? I think that's an understatement Clark." She pointed out while pushing the Talon door open to leave the coffee house and step out on to the sidewalk. "She kind of reminds me of someone I know." Kara muttered under her breath to herself while tossing her empty latte cup into a near by trash can.

Clark just nodded in agreement to what she said while also tossing in his empty cup as well as they were headed for his truck. Making a mental note, Clark needed to remember that when they got back to the farm later they would need to let his parents, John, and Wally know about the cover story they were going to be using from here on out concerning Kara since she had come to meet most of Clark's friends. Lana Lang was the only person who Clark had yet to introduce Kara to, and seeing as how she wasn't at the Talon that morning it was more than likely he would have to introduce her later some other time.


	5. The Lunch Date

Chapter Five

Lunch Date

"So when did you figure it out?"

John Stewart looked up from the task he had set himself to out in the farmyard. Since Kara and Clark had gone into town that morning and were still yet to have returned, both he and Wally West decided to help out around the Kent farm in order to at least repay the family in some small way for all that they were willing to do for the three stranded heroes. At that moment John had been using his ring to move a tractor that needed repairing from its place over in the driveway so that it was now sitting off to the side under the eaves of the barn until Jonathan could get to it later. And that was when Wally showed up from out of nowhere with that question of his. With the tractor moved, John looked over at the speedster standing beside him waiting for an answer. "After fighting Sinestro." He answered in his usual manner or blunt and simple while walking over towards the barn.

Wally followed not entirely satisfied with the answer he had received. "Oh come on, that doesn't help." He stated while staying in step with the former marine turned super hero. "We fought Sinestro twice, well the second time it was all Kara, but still!." Wally pointed out while coming to a stop as John did.

Turning on his heel to face Wally, John tried to at least keep from sounding angry with him since in fact it was a fair enough question on both terms. "The second time. At first I thought maybe I was just seeing things when Clark took the hit from Sinestro's ring to protect his mom and dad, but when I heard their names it all made sense. Even if this is some alternate reality that's playing the past in the year 2005 exactly or anything else, it's still Super Man's past as a teenager in Smallville." John explained while his gaze glanced over towards the farm house as the sound of the screen door opening and closing had caught his attention. Jonathan Kent was coming out into the yard and towards them specifically. John looked over at Wally and spoke in a more quiet tone of voice. "When Kara gets back, we three need to talk and go over a few things."

"Gotcha." Wally agreed as he took this for the ending of their conversation and looked over at the approaching Jonathan who had a bit of a smile on his face.

"I see you moved the tractor already." Jonathan mused as he had taken notice of the large machine's new placement near the barn. "Thank you." He looked to John knowing that he was more than likely the one who had moved it there as Wally had been out repairing a break in the cattle fence.

"No sweat." Wally replied while crossing his arms over his chest in a somewhat proud manner. "With us hanging around here for a while, a lot more will get done in a day." He stated as a smirk crossed his face.

John shook his head and rolled his eyes before looking to Jonathan and acting more like an adult than Wally was at that moment. "We're more than happy to help out around here for the time we can. It's the least we can do." John shot a quick glance over at Wally that showed the black man's annoyance with the way he had sounded so boastful.

"Well I much appreciate it gentlemen." Jonathan smiled. "Especially since it looks like it might rain."

All three men looked up at the sky and noticed the encroaching storm clouds that were headed in from the east towards Smallville and by passing Metropolis all together. Without any more delays with conversation they all headed off to separate jobs after Jonathan listed what he needed done before the storm broke. John flew off towards the back of the farm to bring in exposed hay bails. Wally sped off to repair the broken fence that the fight between Sinestro and Kara had caused. And Jonathan headed into the barn to grab a few things before heading out to tend to the animals.

* * *

After stepping out of the truck and closing her door, Kara just stared up at the huge stone manor that they had pulled up in front of. The place looked rather impressive from the outside to say the least which had the blonde now wondering what it was going to look like on the inside. While gazing up at the mansion in what looked to be like slack jawed awe, Kara was suddenly brought back to attention when Clark touched her shoulder and gave her a rather amused look from her reaction to the place. "Yeah, well, I've seen better." She stated in reply to his look. 

Clark grinned at her. "In Metropolis, right?" he teased while leading the way up to the front entrance that had both teens climbing a small set of stone steps and crossing a small patio to even reach the doors.

Kara followed, but not before raising an eyebrow at his response to her statement of the Luthor estate. "You know I'm beginning to see a pattern in all this." She stated as they came to a stop at the front door and knocked to be let in.

"And what would that be?" Clark asked in an innocent manner that had the blonde teen giving him a playful glare. "The both of us trading off smart mouthed remarks for the rest of the day?" he answered for her as another grin came across his face, as he knew this weird game they were playing now was going to keep up until someone wasn't able to get in a clever remark.

"Okay fine, round one goes to you." Kara stated while looking at the wooden doors before them that were unlocking from the other side. "Doesn't mean you'll win though." She added before the door opened to reveal an elderly gentleman before them dressed in rather expensive attire. Kara took him as part of the help that a house like this would require to have.

The man bowed shortly to them and stepped aside to allow them in. Clark took the lead and walked in first with Kara following right after him as the butler closed the door. "He's in his office Mr. Kent." The butler informed Clark before taking his leave to return to whatever he had been occupied with before answering the door, leaving the two teens in the entryway.

"Whoa." Kara commented as she was just only seeing a very small part of the house and was already impressed with the décor and style it held. Clark looked over at her, which in turn had Kara looking at him with a rather fake but bored look on her face. "Like I said. I've seen better." She retorted to the smirk on his face.

Clark just continued to hold that smirk on his face while leading Kara out of the entryway and up a flight of stairs further into the house that took them up to the next floor that Lex's office was located on. They walked down a hall and took only one turn before Clark brought them to an already open door and went straight inside. _This place is bigger inside than I thought it would be. What is it with rich people and these huge homes anyways? _Kara gave a quick glance over of the rest of the hallway before walking into the office behind Clark. There were stands sporadically placed against the walls either holding a vase, empty or holding flowers, or a statue of some sort.

"Clark, Kara. Right on time I see." Lex greeted them from behind his desk as he was apparently working on something with an open lap top. However, once the pair had entered his office, Lex got up from his seat and came around to properly greet them. "Kind of unusual for your cousin to be on time somewhere Kara." Lex grinned at the blonde who had relocated herself from being behind Clark to now standing at his side. "Maybe you being around him might have something to do with that." He mused with rather odd look cutting across his eyes at he stared at Kara.

Shrugging, Kara gave Lex a half smile. "I doubt it. I run pretty late myself at times." She stated while smiling sheepishly as it was in fact rather true.

Lex studied her a moment longer before nodding his head in understanding to her reply and breaking his intent gaze from her so that it now rested on both Kents. "Well, shall we?" he asked while indicating towards the door with his hand in gesture for them to head for the dinning room where lunch was being served.

Clark moved aside so that Lex could pass by and lead the way back down to the first floor. With Lex now in front of them and not able to catch anything that was exchanged between Clark and Kara, Clark gave Kara a questioning look as he had noticed she seemed a bit uncomfortable all of a sudden. Kara just shook her head and followed after Lex with Clark bringing up the rear. In the dining room downstairs, the trio was seated around a long table but kept to the head of one side alone. Lex sat in the top seat while both Clark and Kara sat across from one another on either side near him. Two maids had come in from the kitchen with a plate for each of them, followed by a butler carrying in a tray holding three glasses and a glass pitcher of water. Once they were served, the help left and returned to the kitchen.

"So, Kara tell me about yourself." Lex looked up from the plate that had been placed before him containing a small salad and a side of dressing. The same had been set before both teens as well.

Kara looked over at Clark and exchanged a nervous glance with him. Luckily they had come up with a partial story to play off on the way over. "Uh, what's there of interest to tale?" she asked while taking a small bite of her salad hoping this would get Lex to specify what he wanted to know.

"Just as cryptic as her cousin I see." Lex grinned before raising his glass and taking a drink from its contents.

Clark gave a small nervous laugh at this and then shot Kara a pleading look hoping she wouldn't push it with Lex. Seeing the uncomfortable position Clark was facing, Kara gave him an assuring smile that flickered over to Lex to keep him unaware of the withheld truth the two of them were hiding.

Lex set down his glass and returned Kara's smile with his own. "Okay then, where are you originally from?" he asked with every bit of his attention on the blonde.

_Outer space. From a planet that no longer exists and rained down as meteor shower on this town and an entirely different time all together from this one. _"Metropolis." She answered simply while picking up her water glass to take a drink.

"Really? I didn't know your dad had family in Metropolis, Clark." Lex looked over at his friend who had somehow managed to take a few bites of his own salad while Kara handled Lex, until now.

"Oh well, I guess there's just something you don't know about my dad Lex." Clark answered as he hoped that his reply didn't sound too 'mysterious'.

Lex masked his mixed feelings towards Jonathan Kent behind a small smile and slightly laughed. "No. I guess not." He replied. "Are your parents in Smallville as well Kara?" Lex asked as he returned to slyly interrogating her.

"No. I came by myself. I haven't seen my aunt and uncle in a while, so I figured I'd come down and visit them." Kara answered while grinning over at Clark.

Lex raised a brow in curiosity. "During the school year?" he pressed as he was starting to see some sort of possible flaw that might prove his assumptions on Kara he was starting to develop since meeting her at the Talon.

Kara looked over at Lex with what seemed to be some what of a perplexed look on her face. "Yeah. I'm doing an independent study course so I don't fall behind." She answered while receiving a surprised look from him right after.

_Whoa, nice save Kara. _Clark hid his own surprised look behind his glass as he raised it for a drink. The fact that she was answering Lex's questions without missing a beat was kind of odd. He would just ask her about it later and just go along with it for now.

Nodding at this, Lex was still undeterred j yet. "Did you drive here?"

Kara shook her head in reply before verbally answering his new question. "I took the bus. Unfortunately the bus company lost my luggage, so I had to borrow some clothes off Clark's wardrobe." _How much longer is he going to keep hounding me? _

"I was just about to ask, seeing as how I recognize that as Clark's shirt." Lex commented as he nodded at the navy plaid shirt Kara was wearing open over a white shirt she got from Martha. "Did they say when they would have your luggage returned?" Lex asked as a maid came in and removed the salad plates.

At this Clark finally jumped into the conversation and save Kara from having to answer this on her own. "That reminds me. Dad got a call this morning from the bus terminal. They said that your luggage tags were found…without your luggage attached."

Kara went quiet for a moment which in turn caused Lex to loose now all doubt he had concerning this young woman. "Great." She muttered while looking down at a new plate set before her holding what looked like chicken in some sort of sauce and vegetable garnish. Her reply was meant as a two fold meaning rather than just the one it sounded like. It was both a thanks to Clark for stepping in and saving her from one less question to answer and as a decoy towards Lex. By the looks of it this seemed to have worked in the way she wanted it to. While plates were set before Clark and Lex, Kara looked up through her bangs and gave Clark a small grin. Keeping with the new situation, Kara looked up from her plate with a dejected look on her face that looked as though she was trying to hide it, rather than her trying to force it out.

"I'm sorry I forgot to tell you earlier. I guess it slipped my mind." Clark apologized to her. "We can stop in town on the way back home at a store if you want. Unless you want to wait and come in with my mom." He suggested while glancing over at Lex from the corner of his eye. Apparently Lex still hadn't lost in interest in Kara as he was still keeping about 89 of his attention on her solely.

"I'll wait and come back in with Aunt Martha." She answered while adding in a small sigh for effect and smiled mentally to herself at how things seemed to be going okay for now.

It was somewhere after one that lunch ended as Lex had gotten a message from a butler that he had a call waiting for him in his office with his father on the other line. Before taking the call from his dear old dad, Lex accompanied them to Clark's truck so as to delay the conversation he wasn't looking forward to with his father. "Well I hope you enjoy your visit here in Smallville, Kara." Lex stated as he stood just on the last step of the stairs leading down to the driveway in front of his home.

"I will." Replied with a small smile before opening the passenger side of the truck to get in. Before she did, Kara looked back over to Lex and allowed a bigger smile come across her face. "Thanks for lunch." For some reason she couldn't bring herself to actually hate this Lex Luthor. He just seemed too nice to have turned out the way he did later on in life, like he did a complete 360.

The next smile off Lex's face was actually a rather genuine one that even had Clark raising his brows in surprise, considering the fact the rarity in which Lex did smile like that was very small indeed. "You're welcome. Don't be too much of a stranger Kara. You're more than welcomed around here any time." Lex stated.

"I'll keep that in mind." Kara replied before getting into the truck and closing her door.

Clark gave a wave as he opened his door. "See ya Lex."

Waving back in response, Lex stayed on the step and watched as Clark got into his truck, started it up, and then drove down the driveway towards the front gates. Lex continued to stare after the blue pick up long after it had disappeared from view before turning about and heading inside to receive that phone call he kept waiting all this time since it was first picked up.

After having pulled out of the front gate, Kara looked back over her shoulder out the rear window and watched as the rod iron gates closed after them. Seeing this caused Clark to wonder if something was bothering the blonde heroine and voiced his concern. "Something the matter?" he asked while allowing a quick glance over at Kara since he needed to keep his eyes on the road.

"Not really. I've just been thinking about something, that's all." Kara answered while turning back around to look out the window shield. "How long have you and Lex been friends?" she asked as her attention turned away from the road and over on to Clark as she was curious to know.

Clark thought about this before answering. "I guess we've been friends for a little over a couple of years now." He answered while glancing over at her again. "Why?" It was his turn now to ask a question.

Kara shook her head at first, which caused her bangs to fall over her eyes and had Kara sweeping them off to the left again in a side part. "Just curious." She answered while looking out the window again.

A moment of silence passed between them as Clark's truck continued down the road towards the farm. It was a little odd that there was such an awkward moment between the two of them. That is until Clark decided to try and strike up a conversation with Kara concerning her second life as super hero. He wanted to know more about her since it seemed they both shared similar powers and alien names that hailed them from another planet, and considering the fact it was going to be another twenty minutes before they reached home they might as well talk about something.

"Can I ask you something about yesterday?" Clark looked over at the blonde sitting next to him who seemed fixated on the road more than he was.

Kara looked over at him with a raised brow. "What about yesterday?"

Already having brought his attention back to the road, Clark again glanced over at Kara for a brief second to both answer her and ask his question. "Just how strong are you?" he asked, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Seeing the smile that was starting to form on his face, Kara couldn't help put grin as well. "You want to find out?" she retorted in a tease while tilting her head slightly to the side as the grin had now grown into a rather imp-like smile. Clark's response to this was the same exact smile that mimicked her own. "Okay." Kara looked back out the front window.

Clark checked his mirrors before pulling over on to the shoulder just to make sure no one was coming up on them from behind that he wasn't seeing. With knowledge that the road was basically empty aside from them, Clark pulled over and turned the pick up off. Both teens got out of the car with Clark coming around to stand on the shoulder with Kara who was looking out across a large grass field that stretched out in a massive expanse. "So, do you just want to know how strong I am, or do you want a race as well?" Kara asked while looking over at Clark with the same smile on her face that she had displayed in the truck.

"What makes you say that?" Clark retorted in good humor while keeping his gaze out on the field they were standing before.

Kara looked out across the field again and just laughed within herself before shaking her head once and holding up three fingers on her left hand. "On three. One, two –" before even getting to three Kara was cut short as Clark took off into the field in a blue streak leaving her to just stare after him. "CLARK KENT YOU CHEATER!" she shouted after him while taking off to catch up.

It only took a second before Kara had caught up and the two teens were racing side by side across the field parting paths through the green waist height grasses. Seeing Kara now beside him, Clark pushed forward to get ahead of her and managed to do that just for a few split seconds before Kara streaked off ahead of him with only a small gap between their positions. Taking this as a chance to show Clark a thing or two, Kara pushed herself to get ahead of Clark enough so that way she could over in front of him and stop while turning to face him. This startled Clark as he slammed full speed right into Kara who had her arms out stretched out before her. What brought about even more surprise for him was the fact that when he had hit Kara head on, she held him back and brought Clark to full complete stop while being pushed backwards across the ground about two feet.

"Whoa." Was Clark managed to get out as he looked down at Kara's hands pressed flat against the front of his shoulders before looking her in the face. "I wasn't expecting that." He stated while staring at her shocked.

Kara grinned at him as she dropped her hands to her sides and stepped out of the braced stance she had been pushed into. "Hey you were the one who wanted to find out, pal." She pointed out while placing her hands on her hips. "Besides, that's what you get when you run on two and not three you cheater!"

"Well, how else was I going to find out how fast you were?" Clark laughed while crossing his arms over his chest. "You caught up pretty fast." He teased with a large grin on his face.

"You could have found out the fare way as well." Kara stated while she now crossed her arms over her chest and mock glared at him. "Besides, I would have beaten you hands down." She retorted while walking past him to head back to the pick up they left about fifty miles back on the road.

Clark turned to watch her while giving her an 'I don't think so' look as she went by. "Yeah right. Just because you're a super hero doesn't mean your superior to me." He state while jogging to catch up and fall in line beside her. "Even in a fare race I'd beat you." Clark grinned while pushing her at the shoulder in a manner similar to that of a brother picking on his sister.

Kara stayed her ground even after she was pushed and shot him a playful glare while shoving back. "No way, and yes I am and yes I would mister!"

The two teens stopped in their tracks and faced each other with mock glares focused on one another. They stared each other down for a little less than a minute when a clap of thunder sounded overhead suddenly catching their attention heavenwards. "I guess we better head back." Clark mused while looking from the sky and back at Kara, who was till looking up at the approaching storm clouds.

"Yeah. I'd rather not get caught out in the rain with you behind the wheel." Kara poked while starting to walk off again before Clark could say anything in defense to this, even though it came anyways.

Looking after her, Clark furrowed his brow in reaction to her comment. "What's that supposed to mean?" he called after her as she was only about ten feet from him now.

Kara turned around in mid step so that she was walking backwards so she could see Clark while replying to his challenge. "Exactly what it sounds like!" she retorted while stopping to bask in the glory of her smart ass remark as a huge smirk pasted itself on her lips. However her moment of glory was short lived as Clark was now running right for her. Upon seeing this, Kara's face dropped as she turned about and started running.

Clark gave chase after the blonde through the field. Neither teen used their super speed as it was all in fun for the moment, with Clark closing in on his 'cousin'. "Get back here Kara!" he shouted after her.

"No way!' she shouted back without glancing back over her shoulder to do so.

Another clap of thunder ended the chase as Clark finally caught up with Kara and grabbed her by the left arm to stop her. The sudden jerk in her step caused the blonde to stumble backwards right into him. Clark easily caught her while they both were now laughing for no apparent reason other than the fact that they were actually having fun just acting like normal teen cousins. The fact that Kara was stuck in a past reality away from her friends and family wasn't bothering her since in a way what family she did have was right there with her at that very moment. Thunder rolled overhead and brought after it the first few drops of the beginnings to a heavy rain. Clark and Kara ceased their laughter and looked up into the sky again.

"Okay, this time we go on three." Kara stated while getting herself free from Clark's hold on her arm. "And not before then. Two is not three Clark." She shot him an accusing stare.

"Yeah, yeah I know." Clark replied while taking up position beside her. "I'll countdown this time."

"Fine." Kara readied herself and waited for the count down to begin. _I'll play fare. Even if it would be considered even if I took off at two. _A grin tried to force its way on to her face but Kara fought it back as she didn't want Clark to think she was going to cheat on him.

"Hey, you never did show me how strong you are." Clark pointed out suddenly as the thought occurred to him and looked over at Kara with a disappointed look on his face.

Kara groaned while rolling her eyes at his sudden comment. "Fine, I'll show you later I promise." She stated while extending her hand over to Clark to seal the deal.

Shaking her hand to bind their deal, Clark returned to his ready stance and started the countdown. "One. Two. – " Clark didn't even have to say three as another thunder clap sounded in perfect timing like a gun starting a track race.

Both took off at the same time and streaked across the field back to the pick up at a speed that had them reaching the vehicle and getting in just as the first drop came down with a sheet of rain follow right after. They called it a tie for now.


	6. Introducing the Supergirl

Chapter Six

Introducing the Supergirl

It was Monday morning and a new week had begun. John, Wally, and Kara had gotten up before dawn to head out into Smallville to track down Sinestro. Well, actually, it was John who had gotten up at dawn and then awoke the other two Justice League members up and had them out in the front yard yawning and dressed in their infamous super hero attire.

"All right, it's been three days since we were transported here and we've only been in contact with Sinestro twice, which was all in the first day." John stated the obvious as he was coming around to making a point. "Since then, Smallville hasn't been bothered by him, which has me to believe that something is up. I want to make a sweep of the entire city all the way out to the county line and back. We'll split up and take different sections; Flash you head out around the county line and check every building and place out that way." Flash saluted him quickly before taking off and disappearing from sight in only under a second, leaving Green Lantern and Supergirl in the yard to look after him. Green Lantern looked to Supergirl now who was still staring off in Flash's departed direction. "I need you to take the downtown area itself. Check every building with that x-ray vision of yours. If Sinestro is hiding in town for whatever reason, we need to know where."

"You got it." Supergirl replied while stepping into the air only to stop while she was about ten feet off the ground and looked down at GL. "Where are you going?" she asked as it struck her that he had yet to tell her or Flash where he was going to be searching.

Lantern's body took on the green glow from his ring as he lifted up into the air to face Supergirl directly. "I'll be doing a sweep of the outer limits of the town itself." He stated while starting to drift away from the blonde Kryptonian towards the left of her. "If you find anything call us on your com link." And with that he flew off towards his own destination.

_A three ring effect. Cool. _Supergirl held an impressed look on her face before flying off towards downtown Smallville that had yet to fully awake as sunrise was now just growing into a thin red line across the horizon. Since it was important that they find Sinestro and not miss wherever it was he was hiding at, Supergirl had slowed her flight pace and stared down towards earth from the high altitude she was cruising in. Nothing but farmland and various sections of wood thickets were the only things that she was looking down on for a while until she reached the downtown area. Coming to a stop at the edge of town, Supergirl looked down at the dim streets and unlit buildings. Each building was going to have to be searched from above. Luckily, Supergirl's x-ray vision would see a yellow skeleton when concerning Sinestro. However, as she stared down at the first few buildings Supergirl saw nothing close to a yellow skeleton.

"Great." She groaned while flying further over the town and coming to set down on the roof of the Talon. From hiding behind the sign itself, Supergirl looked out and stared at the buildings across from her. When nothing turned up out of the ordinary, Supergirl stepped back and looked down on the Talon below her feet. Seeing through the levels of the building and all the way to even the basement, all she did see was what looked to possibly two other people in the coffee house and nothing more. Looking away and turning her attention back on to the rest of the town Supergirl went off to scan the other buildings.

Flash had reached the county line in no time flat and came to skidding halt just there. Looking around from where he was standing, Flash crossed his arms over his chest and thought up a game plan. "All right then. One big enclosing circle it is." He stated aloud to himself before speeding off in a red blur to the left. In a few second he came back around to that same spot and stopped. "Geez, how many abandon sheds and shacks does a place need!" Flash gripped before taking off again to start his spiral back in towards the Kent farm.

After leaving Supergirl, GL had come to what was considered the more suburban area of Smallville and used his power ring in the same manner as Supergirl's x-ray vision. Only it wasn't so much x-ray rather than just being able to see through the walls and roofs of homes as if they were windows tinted a slight green. Each home was searched modestly from above as well as garden sheds, tool sheds, and any other building detached from the houses. Leaving one neighborhood and heading for the next, GL made sure to stay out of sight and up in the air. That was the last thing they needed to have happen. Someone spotting either one of the three of them and reporting it to the police, then there would be trouble that the League members just didn't need at that time. With the last neighborhood searched and turning up nothing, Lantern lifted further up into the air so that he was a good mile or two from the ground and from being spotted by civilian eyes. _If Flash and Supergirl haven't called in anything yet, then we're going to have to assume the possibility that Sinestro isn't in Smallville any more. _"Flash. Supergirl." Lantern spoke their names while pressing a hand over his right ear where hidden was his com link to the other two. "Let's head back to the Kents if you haven't found anything."

"Gotcha!"

"Okay."

Lantern ended his side of the transmission and glanced off towards Metropolis in the distance for a moment. _I wouldn't doubt it. _His green eyes narrowed on the big city that he was familiar with by both name and personal experience. If what he was being to come around to, then that meant a bigger problem was starting to form for the misplaced League members. Shaking his head at this Lantern turned towards the direction of the Kent farm and then headed off to meet the other two there and discuss this new situation with them.

Flash of course had arrived first back at the farm and was waiting less than a few minutes before Supergirl showed up next followed by Green Lantern. The scarlet speedster held a smirk on his face while he leaned back against the side of the blue pick up truck that belonged to the family with his arms crossed. "About time you two showed up." He grinned while pushing off the vehicle and coming to meet them just before the porch of the farm house.

"It's not a contest Flash." GL snapped sternly, which in turn had Flash putting his hands up in defense and apology as he stepped over to stand beside Supergirl. "Now, I take it neither one of you found anything." Lantern inquired even as he knew the answer was going to mirror his own findings.

Both nodded their heads to this with disappointed looks on their faces. "I'm thinking maybe Mr. Unfriendly split town." Flash put in as his own personal opinion to which Supergirl agreed with.

Lantern nodded to this. "That's what I've been thinking." He too agreed as it seemed to be the only logical explanation for the moment other than one he dreaded to even think of.

"Hey you don't think maybe he found a way back home before us, do you?" Flash suddenly asked as the thought just occurred to him at that moment. "I mean, that could also explain why he hasn't been showing his face in Smallville. Not that it would look too good since S here rearranged it for him." He gestured over to Supergirl as he was referring back to the fight that had occurred in that very yard between the two opposing sides.

Supergirl looked from Flash to Lantern to hear his response to this. Once Flash had mentioned the possibility that maybe Sinestro had in fact found a way back to their timeline, Supergirl felt her stomach flip in an unsettling manner as she only hoped this couldn't be the truth to the villain's absence. Much to the relief of the blonde teen, Lantern shook his head in disagreement to this. "I doubt it. Sinestro's a smart guy, but there's no way he would have been able to figure out a way home on his own. It took both his ring and mine to create that tear in time, and it might just take that exact procedure to do the same thing." Lantern pointed out, which seemed to have had both Flash and Supergirl looking calmer than earlier.

"Do you think maybe he headed to Metropolis?" Supergirl put out. "I mean, he knows that place pretty well along with other cities." She suggested as this was something that GL had been thinking as well. "He could have just as easily left for there or even Gotham."

Both men seemed to agree with this but they weren't going to entirely rely on it just yet until they could confirm that was of course what had happened to Sinestro. "It's possible, and it seems to make the most sense right now. We'll talk about it later after breakfast. For now, let's get back into civilian clothes before someone shows up that shouldn't be seeing us hanging around here like this." Lantern nodded towards the farm house before heading towards the door himself.

Flash and Supergirl exchanged looks with one another and just shrugged before following suit. Supergirl however didn't head up the porch steps to the kitchen door; instead she headed up to her room window that looked out towards the barn on that side of the house. She had left it unlocked so she could get back in that way and just cut her time in half before heading down for breakfast. Pushing the window open she drifted in, careful not to catch the curtains with her feet as she entered. Touching down on the carpeted floor of her temporary bedroom, Supergirl headed over to the bedroom door that was slightly a jar to close it all the way and lock it. From what she was hearing on the second floor, it sounded as though Martha, Jonathan and Clark were all up now as well. Changing out of her super hero uniform and pulling on another pair of borrowed clothes from both Martha and Clark, Kara went over to the mirror hanging on the wall near her door and ran a brush quickly through her hair before leaving her room.

Coming out into the hall Kara near bumped into Jonathan as she was just stepping out. "Oh, sorry." She apologized with an embarrassed smile on her face as she stepped aside to let him pass by.

"It's fine." Jonathan replied while smiling back at her. "You headed downstairs?" he asked before he passed by the blonde teen.

Kara nodded in reply to his question and followed after him as he was now leading the way down to the kitchen. Martha had already been down in the kitchen just as Flash and GL had entered the house, so by the time that both Jonathan and Kara had entered she had most of the breakfast meal done and ready to serve. Offering a hand, Kara set the table for six people so that Martha could finish up her work in the kitchen and so that Jonathan could head outside and get the morning paper as it had just arrived. By the time the others had come down for breakfast the table was set and the food was all cooked. Clark came down the stairs following after John and Wally, and made his way over to where Kara was sitting at the table serving herself and Martha. Jonathan came in from outside with paper in hand and went for the coffee pot first before coming to the table to join everyone.

"Did you head out this morning John?" Jonathan asked as he took his seat at the other head of the table and taking a small drink from his coffee cup.

John Stewart nodded his head in reply while taking a seat next to Wally at the table. "We did, and found nothing." He answered as Kara handed over a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast to both him and Wally at the same time. "Not exactly what we had been hoping for."

Jonathan nodded at this while setting his coffee cup down after taking another drink from it. As Martha sat down beside Clark, she looked between the three of them with a somewhat worried look on her face. "What are you going to do? I mean, if he's not here in Smallville any more, are you going to leave and track him down?" she asked.

Clark looked from his mom over to Kara, who was looking over at John in wait of his answer. Hearing what his mom had asked concerning the new situation that had presented itself to the three super heroes, Clark started to panic on the inside. He didn't want Kara to leave this soon, especially not after he had just started to connect with her and find relief in sharing his secret with someone just like him. By the looks of it Kara didn't seem that affected by the fact that they might be leaving Smallville now, but that was just the outward appearance. Inside she was starting to become disappointed that they would have to leave and chase down Sinestro wherever he might be hiding out at. And that could mean searching the entire country and not just certain cities.

"Maybe you won't have to track him down per say." Jonathan interrupted as he turned the paper around so that everyone could see the front page. Everyone went quiet for a few seconds as they read the headline of the _Daily Planet_ – **String of robberies hits Metropolis**.

Wally stared hard at the front page as he started reading the beginnings of the article underneath the heading and picture of a busted bank vault. "Speak of the devil." He stated while sitting back in his chair. "Sinestro's in Metropolis just like Kara had suggested." Wally looked down to the end of the table where the blonde was sitting and staring at the morning paper Jonathan was holding up.

John read more of the article than Wally had and soon agreed to this as well. "Yep, it's definitely Sinestro. Yellow light being used to remove the vault door and knock out guards, that's his power ring they're talking about." He confirmed while crossing his arms over his chest and looking away from the paper over to Kara. "Looks like your hunch was correct. I think some of Batman is starting to rub off on you." A small smile came across his face as he said this in compliment to the young hero.

Kara offered back a half hearted smile that faded as quickly as she had used it. "I guess." She replied while looking away from the paper that Jonathan was now handing down to Clark who had asked to see it. "But does that mean he's still there?"

"We won't know until we go there and see for ourselves." John answered. "The thing is, if he left Smallville and headed for Metropolis, will he stay there or head to the next city he's familiar with. Or even still, will he come back to Smallville since he knows that's where we are right now." John pointed out to his friends.

"Like you said, guess we won't know until we find him." Wally restated while glancing momentarily at Kara as he was starting to see the look in her eyes. "But what if we go and he comes back looking for us after he figures out that we may be his only chance of going home and doesn't find us here? My guess is that Sinestro would try to get information off everyone here in Smallville. Maybe even coming back here to the farm." He smoothly pointed out as he was seeing a way that would work out for a few certain people while also accomplishing their main task.

Both Kara and Clark looked over at Wally with expectant eyes of new hope that he winked at. John understood what he was getting at and looked between the two teens. _Wally might be right. Usually in cases like these the only way to return to our timeline is to reenact the same process in the area in which it occurred. Or in this case where we were dumped. Smallville might be our only way home and Sinestro is bound to figure that out sooner or later and come back in search for us once he realizes where we were taken to. I know Kara wants to hang around Clark longer, but we can't risk letting something slip that could change the course of Superman's future._ John sighed mentally as he looked about the table at all the faces staring back at him, waiting for an answer. _We're just gonna have to go along with it. Kara's the best protection we can give Smallville at this time while Wally and I are out looking for both Sinestro and a way home._

"All right, this is what we'll do." John looked over at Martha and Jonathan first. "Wally and myself are going to head for Metropolis and search it out for Sinestro. If you don't mind putting up with her, I'd rather have Kara stay here in Smallville in case Sinestro does return while we're gone."

Jonathan and Martha looked to each other and smiled as it didn't seem to bother them in the least. "Kara is more than welcomed to stay while you look for a way home." Martha replied and looked from John to her son and Kara down at the end of the table. The two seemed rather happy with this arrangement as they were both grinning from ear to ear at the adults.

"Besides, it's nice having a 'niece' around the farm." Jonathan added in good humor towards the cover story that Clark and Kara had made up and used when they were out in town. "And you're right." He added in as he agreed with what John had said. "If this guy does show back up, Smallville is going to need someone to protect it."

Clark had turned his attention over to Kara again and was still grinning at how things had worked out the way they did. He was going have Kara around longer now, and for the time she would be there in Smallville he wouldn't feel so alone. Catching from the corner of her eye that she was being stared at, Kara looked over at Clark and gave him the same grin he was wearing. She was definitely going to have to thank both Wally and John at some point for this.

* * *

As soon as breakfast was over John and Wally got ready to leave for Metropolis, which didn't take them long at all. Jonathan had suggested that they just keep the clothes they had borrowed since they might be needing civilian cover at some point while in Metropolis, to which they were both grateful for. After they said their good-byes to the Kent family and headed outside, John called Kara to follow with them so he could have a word with her in private. The three of them stood out in the front yard near the driveway so that way they could keep their conversation to themselves. They couldn't afford for anyone else to hear it, especially Clark. John placed his hands on Kara's shoulders and looked her right in those royal blue eyes of hers. 

"I know you've been careful this far around Clark, aside from the fact that he knows you're from Krypton and has seen your S-shield, but you have to watch what you say now around him." John stated in a stern tone of voice to get his point across clearly. "Clark cannot know about his future and who he becomes there. If he does, we can't tell for sure how this will in fact affect the future, or even our time." He explained to which she nodded her head in reply. "Also, if you use your powers openly while we're gone keep it to a minimum and just try to make a good judgment call on the situation."

"Yeah and make sure you do it as Supergirl." Wally pointed out as an extra precaution, even though he knew Kara was smart enough to realize that. But it didn't hurt to just reiterate that fact to her. "Think of this as your chance to reflect on everything the big guy has taught you and put it into further practice outside the League."

John had agreed with the first part, but when Wally had added in that last piece he snapped his attention over at the redhead and near glared at him. "That's not what I was getting at. Kara," he looked at the blonde teen again while casting a slight glance over at Wally for a brief moment as he spoke. "Just use your discretion and be careful. If the world is introduced to a Super this early it might also have affects on the future. But, he does have a point." John sighed while shaking his head. "Do it as Supergirl if you have to."

Kara nodded with a smile on her face that showed she was taking what they had both said to heart. "I will. I won't let you guys down." She stated as an assurance to both John and Wally. They were counting on her to both be careful with what she said and how she acted around Clark, as well as protecting Smallville if anything happened, and she wasn't going to let them down.

Satisfied as well as he was going to be, John gave the Kryptonian youth a small smile before releasing her shoulders and tussling her blonde hair a bit with his hand. "We'll call you on the com link if we find anything in Metropolis or not." He added as his 'good-bye' to her before heading out into the driveway to wait for Wally, who he knew was going to make a big deal out of his good-bye.

Wally grinned at Kara and gave her a hug. "You be careful kiddo. I don't want to have to explain anything to your cousin when we get home." He stated while messing her hair up so that most of the longer layers were flipped over her head and covering her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah." She replied while brushing her hair back into place with her hands. "You do the same." Kara looked at both men as she said this. They were close friends to her cousin, to her, and comrades in the Justice League that she had worked with on more than one occasion, and she wanted them to come back safely so they go home.

Both nodded in reply to this as they understood what she meant. Flash grinned at her before giving a small salute and then sped off towards Metropolis in an all too familiar streak that disappeared in just a few seconds. John remained behind for a moment and gave Kara a final nod of both a temporary good-bye and a reminder of what he had told her. Kara waved at him as he took to the skies and followed after Flash. They had settled on heading out in costume rather than civilian dress, and now they both were gone leaving Kara staring after them in the front yard. After John had disappeared from her immediate sight, Kara headed back inside to help clean up the remains of breakfast with Martha. Inside both Martha and Jonathan had most of the table cleared while Clark had disappeared upstairs to get ready for school. Kara came over to the table and stacked up her plate and a few others while picking up her milk glass to take over to the kitchen sink.

Martha was already there and turned to take the dishes from the blonde girl now posing as her niece. Smiling at her in thanks, Martha placed the dishes in the sink as Kara headed back to the table to pick up the serving dishes next. "So, Kara, what do you plan on doing today?" Martha asked from the sink as she started to scrap off bits of food from the ceramic ware.

"I'm not really sure." Kara answered while setting the dishes in her hands down on the counter near the sink. "I could help out around the house if you need it, or I could help Mr. Kent with the farm work." She suggested while remaining at Martha's side and looking at her.

"You do know that you can call me Uncle Jonathan, Kara. After all you were the one who came up with the cover of being my niece." Jonathan pointed out as he returned to the coffee pot for one last cup before heading out to attended to his work around the farm. Kara looked over at him with a sheepish grin and nodded as she knew it would be easy to call him Uncle Jonathan rather than Mr. Kent.

Martha nodded at this. "Same goes with me." She added in knowing that Kara knew that she meant to call her aunt by this. "It'll be nice to have another girl around the farm for a while." Martha smiled at her while glancing away from her work on the breakfast dishes. "And I'm sure that Clark is more than happy with you being around for the time that you are."

This had Kara smiling. "You're welcome." She said while looking between them both before her gaze came to stay on Jonathan. "So you have anything I could help you with today? Uncle Jonathan?" she added in that last part with a teasing smirk on her face.

"Actually I was thinking since I have to head into town today and pick up some feed and a few other things that maybe you should go to school with Clark." Jonathan suggested before taking a drink of his coffee. This had Kara raising her brows in surprise to this as she hadn't been expecting it.

Martha's reaction was the same but she too thought maybe that would be a good idea as well since she had some errands to run in town as well and really didn't have much to do around the house. "That's a good idea. I mean you met most of Clark's friends already, and it might help to solidify your cover story to everyone." Martha pointed out in agreement while smiling over at her blonde niece.

Kara still had a bit of a surprised look that was now mixed with some confusion as to what they were suggesting. "Is that okay? I mean with me going to Clark's school since I'm not exactly a 'student'."

"It's fine. When you and Clark leave, I'll call ahead to the school office and let them know you're coming. Just make sure you stop by the main office and sign in as a guest. They'll give you a pass and you can go with Clark to his classes." Martha explained as she turned the water faucet off and wiped her hands on a near by dish towel. "I'm sure that will be a lot more fun than sticking around an empty house with nothing to do."

A wide grin came across Kara's face that she gave to both of them. "Okay. I guess I'll go get ready and let Clark know what's going on." She stated happily. Jonathan winked at her before taking one last drink of his coffee and then headed out to get a few things done before he needed to head into town.

"That reminds me." Martha had suddenly remembered something as she noticed the fact that Kara was wearing a mismatch of clothes taken from both her closet and Clark's. "You can't keep wearing borrowed clothes from both me and Clark forever. How about you and I go shopping after school and get you a few things for the time you're here?" Martha suggested as she liked the idea of having a small "girl's day out" of sorts.

Kara appeared to be a bit taken back by this as she hadn't expected to have such an offer made to her. "Oh, well, it's not a problem. I don't mind at all, you don't have to go out of your way." Kara stated as she really didn't want impose any more than she had with staying on the Kent farm.

Martha shook her head as she didn't mind at all. "Kara it's fine. Think of it this way, if you still feel like you're imposing too much on us here, by you just helping out around the farm like you've offered and even protecting Smallville is more than enough for me and Jonathan to accept." She replied gently while placing her hands on either side of her niece's face. "Now, go on and get ready. I'll meet you at the Talon later and then we can go shopping."

A bright smile came across Kara's face as she then nodded at Martha who brought her hands from her face and gestured with her head for the blonde teen to get upstairs. Kara left the kitchen in a hurry and near flew herself up the stairs in her growing excitement, only to bump into Clark, literally. Both teens stumbled backwards from each other a bit before recovering and staring at each other with similar smiles on their faces.

"What's the rush?" Clark asked as he noticed that Kara seemed rather happy and grinning from ear to ear.

"I'm going to school with you." She answered.

Clark's face lit up at this as he was both surprised and just as happy that Kara was coming with him. "Great! Chloe actually called me yesterday and begged that I somehow get you come along with me."

Kara laughed at this as she had been interviewed further the following day after meeting Chloe at the Talon for the first time and knew that she was going to be facing another one that day as well. "Thanks for the warning." She replied while turning to walk down the stairs and the stopped about three steps down which caused Clark to near bump into her again. "Oh wait, I wanted –"

"To make sure you looked okay? You look fine, aside from wearing some of my clothes." Clark assured her while gently pushing her back with his hands. "We don't go now, we'll be late." He insisted as he now found himself forcing Kara down the stairs and into the kitchen where they didn't stay long as Clark grabbed two of his jackets off the wall pegs at the door for him and Kara. "Bye mom." He called out while holding open the door for Kara to go out first.

"Bye Clark." Martha called back while looking away from her dishes. "Bye Kara." She added in as the blonde disappeared out the kitchen door.

Poking her head back in, Kara smiled and waved. "See ya aunt Martha." She giggled before retreating back out with Clark following after and tossing her a black fleece jacket. "What's this for?" she asked while catching it easily.

Clark stopped just at the porch landing and dropped his backpack off his shoulder so he could get his own tan corduroy jacket on. "Well, first off it's the beginning of March and it's cold out. Second, so no one wonders why we aren't freezing without them." He explained while grabbing his backpack again and heading towards his truck.

"Oh right, gotcha." Kara mused while pulling the jacket on and zipping up half way. She followed after Clark to the blue pick up truck sitting the back driveway waiting for them. Jonathan wasn't any where in sight to say good-bye to. Kara went over to the passenger side and got in at the same time as Clark did on his side after throwing his backpack into the middle of the bench seat.

Once they were both buckled in Clark started the truck and turned it around to head down the driveway and off to school. Somehow by the grace of God they managed to arrive in the student parking lot just five minutes before the first bell rang. After getting out of the truck and following Clark down a hall after entering the school itself, Kara was then faced with the staff of the school office who were all women in their late thirties early forties sitting behind desks and looking like they hated their job. Scanning the room with a nervous glance Kara waited behind Clark while he talked with the secretary for a moment. "Yeah your mom called about fifteen minutes ago. Have your cousin sign in on this clipboard and then have her wear this while she's here." The graying woman stated in a voice that sounded as though this was a complete bother while handing over a faded pink laminated badge that had the words – **Visitor Pass **– written across the front.

Clark handed the clipboard back to Kara who signed her name, the date, and who she was going to be with during the day, then handed the clipboard back to Clark who in turn handed it back to the secretary. Not even glancing at it that thoroughly, the lady waved them off and returned to whatever mundane task she was busy with before they had come in. The two teens exchanged looks with one another before shrugging and left the office. "I wonder when they lost their passion for that job." Kara commented once the door was closed.

"You're lucky that door closed before you said that." Clark teased as he adjusted the strap of his backpack that was over his right shoulder.

Kara rolled her eyes at this. "And what would they do? Bore me to death with their depressing 'tudes? Oh, real scary." She retorted while following Clark down the hall towards his first period class.

Clark just laughed while shaking his head in response to the blonde's personality. The day was definitely going to be anything but boring with Kara hanging around, and it proved to be as such half way through the day when second lunch rolled around and the Kent cousins met up with Chloe and Pete in the cafeteria. Once the four had found an open table to sit down at and eat, Chloe dove right into her own personal interview with the blonde Kent.

"So, Kara, are you Clark pretty close?" Chloe asked while popping the top to her apple juice and grinning at her new found friend and fellow blonde.

"Like brother and sister." Kara answered as she poked at the meatloaf served as lunch with her spork. "Is this even eatable?"

Pete laughed at this as he watched the blonde blue-eyed girl continue to eye the meal before her with a suspicious stare. "Stare any harder at that Kara, and it might attack you." He joked while cutting his own piece of meatloaf in half. The compacted meat product wasn't exactly the most appetizing thing to look at.

A grin was spreading across Clark's face as he watched Kara and was actually rather surprised that she had answered in the way she did. However, somewhere inside of him he liked the idea that she had said they were like brother and sister. Since his parents had taken in a boy named Ryan over a year ago, that was the only time Clark had any type of sibling relationship in his life for the longest time. After Ryan was reunited with his aunt, Clark missed having someone around he could share his deep secrets with about being different and have someone to relate too. And now, here was Kara, someone just like Clark in every way with the same powers and everything living with him and his parents acting as part of his family. He liked it.

"Wow, I had no idea. I mean Clark has never really mentioned you before, no offense." Chloe stated while gazing between the two Kents.

"Oh well, when I was around ten our family moved to Gotham City for a while so that pretty much cut our visits between us short." Kara answered while glancing over at Clark momentarily. "But we moved back to Metropolis about four months ago and I was able to convince my parents to let me come to Smallville and visit for a while." She gave Chloe a grin before stabbing a small piece of her meatloaf and eyed it momentarily before allowing herself to eat it.

Both Pete and Chloe perked up at the mention of Gotham City and then looked directly over at Clark, who in return while drinking his milk at the same time gave them a confused look when he placed his carton down. "What?" he asked of his friends.

Pete just shook his head and returned to eating his lunch as Chloe found another question to ask Kara. "So, while you were in Gotham, did you manage to meet or even see the famous playboy himself?" she asked while raising her brows in inquiry. This caused Kara to become completely confused and express it on her face. "Oh come on, I'm talking about Bruce Wayne." Chloe stated in an exasperated tone of voice.

"Oh, Bruce, right." Kara paused a moment. _Yeah sure, I know him. We're sort of like friends…I guess…well more like comrades than anything else. No, scratch that, he's more Clark's friend than anything else. _"Um, yeah, I met him. Nice guy." _If you like tall, dark, brooding and no personality whatsoever! _Kara gave Chloe a half hearted smile before turning her attention to her lunch again. However, the way Kara had answered this caused Chloe to think that there was something more to this whole thing than Kara was letting on. Luckily the blonde Kent was saved as the bell rang ending second lunch.

While everyone cleared up their tables and threw away whatever was still remaining of their lunch. Chloe and Pete separated from the two cousins as they had other classes apart from Clark. Once the two were gone, Kara turned to the wall of lockers near at hand and started to slowly bang her head against one while muttering – "Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid." Clark watched with a quizzical look on his face as he didn't understand what Kara was reacting too, but he had to figure it was something about that last question of Chloe's. "I'm really hoping that you're not using any of that girlish strength of yours on a defenseless locker." He pointed out while standing beside his cousin and holding an amused look on his face.

Kara stopped her head banging but kept her forehead against the locker and then looked over at Clark. "I should have known better." She stated with a remorseful look on her face. "Now Chloe thinks I know Bruce Wayne, and I'm starting to think that now she's taking it in a different interpretation with that look on her face." Kara muttered while banging her head against the locker one more time before pushing away and turning to face Clark.

"Well, all I have to say in advice is that maybe you should explain the best you can to Chloe about all this. I'm guessing though that in your time you do know this Bruce Wayne." Clark raised a brow at this as he could only take it to possibly be true.

"Sort of." Kara answered while biting her bottom lip. "Let's just forget about it for now. I'll explain later when no one else is really around to hear it." She gestured to the students were passing through the halls headed for class.

Clark nodded his understanding to this and grinned at Kara. "Yeah, you seem more than flustered as it is." He teased while reaching out and tussling her hair in a friendly manner. Kara mocked glared at him through the mess he had splayed over her eyes while brushing the blonde tresses back out of her face. "Ah, I thought that looked pretty good."

"Clark Kent, I suggest you don't quit your day job." Kara stated while giving him a small punch to the shoulder just as the bell rang.

"I guess not." Clark replied while turning to lead Kara along to his next class. "Let's just hurry or we're gonna be late." He added in over his shoulder.

Thankfully enough when the two of them arrived in class the teacher was running later than them, so there were no worries as they took their seats at the back of the class. Clark's last period happened to be P.E. and Kara was actually able to join in on this outside on the school field. P.E. for the day was just running around the track for a mile and then that was it since the P.E. teacher was doing a review of sorts on everyone's passing grade. Chloe and Pete had P.E. as well and managed to stay up with Clark and Kara on the track as they had slowed down in order to keep the same pace through out their group. Luckily enough, Chloe was busy pointing out to Kara all the cute guys on the football team who happened to be practicing on the field as they were running, so it gave Kara the time she needed in order to figure out her plan of explaining how she knew Bruce Wayne when Chloe finally got around to asking.

"So, what do you think of Smallville High's fine specimens of a football team?" Chloe asked while nudging Kara in the ribs as they had finished the final leg of their mile and were now walking around the track as a cool down.

Kara shrugged to this as she glanced over at the football players tossing around footballs to one another. "They are kind of cute." She slowly commented in answer to Chloe's question, which sparked the school reporter's interest suddenly, and unfortunately had her brining up Bruce Wayne again.

"I take it that you find the guys in Gotham a lot cuter then?" Chloe pressed as she raised an intrigue brow at Kara, who in turn groaned mentally to this.

_Great. I should have just kept my mouth shut. _Trying desperately to come up with an answer Kara was again saved but not by a bell. No, instead she was suddenly struck in the shoulder by a misguided football that bounced off and didn't even affect her in the least bit. In fact Kara just stopped and stared down at the football that had come down to rest by her feet. Chloe had seen what had happened and was at Kara's side with a concerned look on her face while placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Chloe asked as she looked between the ball and Kara a few times, only to watch in puzzlement as the blonde Kent bent down and snatched up the football from beside her feet.

The football player who had thrown the ball and hit Kara by accident was now looking over at the two blondes and held an amused look on his face when he saw the girl he hit pick up the ball. "Hey!" he called out and got the blue-eyed gaze of the girl on him immediately and held his hands out in gesture for her to throw it at him.

Seeing this, Kara arched a brow in amusement as she knew what this guy was trying to get at. As most guys did, he was probably thinking she'd just come over and give it to him or throw it weakly and not even make it half way. _Jackass. _She grinned slyly while taking the ball up and spinning it in her hands as she debated whether or not to throw it hard or just in a normal toss. She had almost decided on throwing it in a normal manner and strength, that is, until the jock poked fun at her.

"Hey, now don't hurt yourself sweetheart."

Chloe narrowed her eyes at the guy and then looked over at Kara with a rather intense gaze on her face. "I really hope you hit him." She stated while crossing her arms and looking back over at the football player.

Grinning over at Chloe in response, Kara looked over at the football player. "Don't worry I won't." she replied in a sing song voice before finally launching the ball towards the player with just enough of her powerful strength behind it so that when it struck the guy in the chest he was knocked off his feet backwards. "Oops." Kara rolled her eyes and grinned devilishly at Chloe who was trying to suppress a forceful fit of laughter that was daring to arise after what she had just been witness to. The two girls finally laughed as they walked off the track together.

With school finally over the students of Smallville High were finally released and set free from its confines, Clark and Kara headed for the student parking lot where the pick up truck was parked. Clark had seen what had happened with the whole football incident and raised a few questions of his own concerning this as they walked through the parking lot.

"So, that's quite an arm you got there. You'd be a shoe-in for the position of quarterback." Clark glanced over at her as they were walking side by side.

Kara grimaced at the mention of the whole incident and then managed a glance over at her cousin as they came to a stop at the back of the blue pick up. "Oh, that, well…hey! I didn't hurt the guy or do anything that suspicious!" she pointed out in quick defense of herself while heading over to the passenger side of the truck.

"Whatever you say Kara." He replied while shaking his head and unlocking his door. Shrugging his backpack off his shoulder, Clark tossed it into the middle seat and then got in to reach over and unlock Kara's door.

Once both teens were situated inside, Clark started the engine and then backed out of the space he had pulled into that morning to leave and head into town where Kara was going to meet up with his mom at the Talon. The ride to the Talon consisted of Kara defending herself the whole time against every comment that Clark made about the whole football thing until they pulled into a parking spot in front of the restored theater turned coffee house. Even after getting out, they still continued on with the one sided argument all the way into the Talon where it ended as soon as they were approached by a smiling brunette.

"Hey Clark." She greeted with a smile on her face and in her brown eyes.

"Lana, hey." Clark replied while looking rather taken with the girl, which Kara caught and cleared her throat just loud enough for the two to break eye contact and look over at her. "Oh, right, Lana this is my cousin Kara. Kara this is my friend Lana Lang, she runs the Talon."

Kara was surprised to hear the girl's name, but hid it well as she placed a smile on her face and extended a hand towards Lana. "It's nice to finally meet you Lana." She greeted as the brunette shook hands with her.

"Likewise." Lana grinned in a cheerful manner. "I've been waiting to meet the rather infamous cousin of Clark Kent. Chloe has been talking about you almost non-stop since meeting you on Saturday." Lana explained while the hand shake ended between them. "So, what are you guys up to today?" she asked while they moved away from the front door and headed over to counter.

"Well, Kara and my mom are gonna go shopping for some clothes since Kara's luggage was lo-" Clark was suddenly cut off as Lana broke in.

"Oh that's right. I heard that about the whole lost luggage thing." Lana concluded while giving Kara a rather sympathetic look. "I'm sorry about that." She stated gently while going around to the backside of the counter. Both Kents gave her confused looks to this, which caused Lana to further explain. "Lex came in before you guys showed up and told me about it."

_Great._ "Oh." Kara mentally rolled her eyes to this. There were definitely conflicting emotions about this guy running through Kara, considering the fact that she knew just what type of person Lex Luthor was in her timeline. Numerous times he had tried to kill her cousin and even her, but each time he failed. For the moment it seemed as though he had turned over a new leaf of sorts and was now involved in politics…possibly running for President it seemed. _Why now did I have to remember that of all times? _

"Is Lex still around?" Clark asked of Lana while starting to look about the Talon floor for his friend.

"Someone say my name?" the familiar voice of Lex Luthor asked as the bald gentleman approached them from behind and took up the empty place on Clark's left side. "Clark." He greeted his friend and then looked passed him and gave Kara a small smile. "Kara. Good to see you again." Lex stated as his gaze lingered a bit longer on the blonde than it had on Clark.

Kara nodded at Lex in response and then looked over at Lana who seemed to have noticed the stare of Lex Luthor upon the blonde Kent. "Hey, Lana, can I get a glass of water?" she asked.

"Yeah sure. Do you want ice?" Lana asked as she turned to the back counter where she grabbed a clean water glass and headed over to the filtered tap. Opening a small freezer compartment in the counter top near the tap, Lana scooped out a decent size serving and dumped it in. Looking over at Kara she held up the glass for her to see. "Is that enough?" When Kara nodded her head yes, Lana grinned back and then filled the glass with water. Bringing it back over to Kara, she set down a coaster first and then set the glass down. "Here ya go."

"Thanks Lana." Kara replied while picking up the glass and bringing it to her lips. Just as she started to take a drink, her hearing focused out from the conversation that Lex and Clark were having next to her and pick up on something else. Something nearby and yet far away at the same time. She was hearing raised voices, but they weren't inside the Talon.

"_Give us the money and no one gets hurt! And no funny business with setting of a silent alarm. Tim, get back there and watch her."_

"_Gotcha."_

Kara finished off her water as she listened in on a bank robbery. Setting down her glass, Kara looked over at her cousin and friends who were talking amongst one another on some topic of sorts that Kara hadn't been paying attention to. "Clark." She called his name and immediately got his attention. "Is there a bank near the Talon or something?" she asked with a furrowed brow that Clark recognized immediately as one of inquiry.

"Yeah. The Smallville Savings and Loan is two buildings down from here. Why?" he asked while searching for more in the facial expression and question Kara had asked of him.

Before Kara could answer in any sort of way, the sounds of gunfire started to break through the air at that moment causing everyone in the Talon to jump while in the middle of whatever they were doing. While Lex and Lana were preoccupied with staring out the front door and windows, Clark and Kara exchanged worried looks with one another before getting up from their seats at the counter and going over to the front door. Clark stepped outside first followed by Kara right behind him looking over his shoulder down to the right of the Talon. People on the streets were all ducked behind cars or even coming out of other buildings to see what was going on at the Savings and Loan. Lex and Lana were soon outside as well with the two Kent teens just as the glass of the front window of the bank burst into millions of pieces followed by louder sounds of gunfire.

Everyone reacted to this by either ducking down behind cars parked on the side of the street. Kara had gone rather tense as she seemed ready to rush in and do something, and Clark saw this as he was right beside the young super hero. "Kara." He whispered her name to catch her attention, and it worked. The royal blue eyes of the blonde Kryptonian turned on Clark with a pleading look etched within them. "I'll cover for you." He whispered again while looking over at Lana and Lex who were just behind them and far enough back to where they couldn't hear the conversation between the two cousins.

Kara nodded to this and quickly thought up an excuse to get herself out of sight and mind for the moment. "Clark, your mom." She suddenly stated loud enough for Lana and Lex to hear and grab their attention.

At first, Clark's brow furrowed for a moment as he was trying to understand what she was getting at, but then as he realized this, his brow relaxed. "Right. Be careful." He stated while looking off down the opposite direction of the street.

"Clark, you think that's a good idea?" Lana asked as she had moved forward to be almost in between the two of them.

Kara looked at the brunette near her and winked. "I'll be fine Lana." She stated while looking out from behind the car as gunfire continued to sound for no apparent reason from the bank and then pulled back in behind the car.

"Kara, stay low." Lex warned from behind her. "These guys might come out of there at any moment. If they see you running they might fire just on reaction." He stated while having moved up just behind Kara and placed a hand on her shoulder to turn around and face him. "Stay near the cars. You even hear gunfire, get behind the closest one and stay there."

Nodding her understanding to this, Kara looked out again from behind the car and then looked over at Clark. The two nodded to each other before Kara moved out from behind the car and started down the sidewalk at a crouched run while staying near the cars. Lex, Lana, and Clark watched her for a moment before looking back to the bank as fire started again. Taking this as her cue to duct out into the nearest alleyway. Inside the alley, Kara pressed her back up against the brick wall and then looked out from behind the corner. The bank robbers were now coming out of the Savings and Loan while still facing the bank and aiming their guns inside. _Dammit! _Kara pulled back into the alley and then ran down it with the aid of her inhuman super speed.

When the gunfire had sounded again at that moment after Kara had left, Lex had only looked back to see what was happening at the bank and then turned to look over his shoulder to see if Kara had ducked out of the way as he advised. Not seeing the blonde teen on the sidewalk he figured she had taken to hiding behind a car. Raised voices started to shout and brought every single persons attention to the bank again. Two men dressed in all black clothes and wearing ski masks over their faces were coming out of the bank with bags in hand and semi-automatic weapons in the other aimed back into the bank as they were running out backwards. The reason for gunfire in the first place was because two deputies had come into the bank and caught the robbers off guard.

This was what resulted in the sudden fire fight. Both deputies were downed almost immediately with gun shot wounds. Once the robbers had gotten what they wanted they left and so rounded out the details up to that moment as they were leaving. The first man leading the way had turned to run for the get away car and aimed his gun at people on the street. "GET DOWN!" he ordered in a harsh manner. Everyone freaked, running or hitting the ground at the command. "I said get down, not run!" he stated while aiming his weapon at the nearest running pedestrian. Just as he got ready to pull the trigger, a white gloved hand clamped down over the barrel of the semi-automatic and clamped it shut with just a mere squeeze. The guy looked over towards whoever had placed their hand on the gun and clamped the barrel.

A harsh gaze of royal blue stared back at him with a fringe of side sweeping blonde bangs just barely hanging over them. His eyes were a tad wide as he didn't comprehend what he was seeing. Jerking the gun he turned to point its crushed down barrel at the person he now realized as a girl. Raising a slender brow, she again placed her hand on the barrel and then proceeded to turn the nozzle up and point it back at the masked robber. Staring dumbfounded at this sight, the bank robber was caught off guard when the blonde grabbed him by the collar of the jacket he was wearing and then lifted him off the ground. Far off ground, as they were now rising up to roof level with the surrounding buildings. The gun dropped his gun and started to kick his legs wildly about. "Put me down, put me down!" he cried and then realized what he had just said and where he was at. "Don't put me down, don't put me down!"

"Hey Mac you got the car ready?" the other guy called out while he kept his gun trained on the bank door that stood open still after their departure. When no answer came, he looked behind him to see the guy he had called Mac nowhere in sight. "What the hell…?" he looked about to see where his partner was and watched as from out of the sky descended both his partner and an unknown blonde wearing a fire engine red cape on her back. As soon as they touched ground, the girl released the guy's collar and let him drop to the street just shaking madly as he stared up at her. The sound of a gun locking loading was heard and the blonde looked over in the direction of the other guy.

Clark, Lana, and Lex were all staring out from behind the car and just watched the entire event unfold before them. Lana had the sleeve of Clark's jacket gripped tightly in her hand as she stared at the blonde girl who had taken the bank robber by the collar and actually rose up into the air and remain there at height with the top of the Talon's neon sign. When they came back down and she had released the guy, Lana had a clear view now and felt her breath catch in her throat. "Clark, that's her!" she whispered hoarsely while tugging on his sleeve. "That's the girl from three days ago with those other guys."

Lex glanced for a moment away from the whole ordeal to look at Lana. "Are you sure?" he asked and then received a nod from the brunette before looking back to the blonde woman dealing with the bank robbers. She was wearing a mini denim skirt, fire engine red boots just reaching to her knees on some rather long legs, a white shirt with elbow length sleeves, white wrist gloves, and a cape the same color as her boots. The thing that intrigued him the most was the front of her shirt which held a red capital S within a yellow background shield. He couldn't take his eyes off her at all.

_Come on Kara, hurry up before the police show up and try to arrest you as well. _Clark mentally urged the super hero as he watched her now start to approach the last gunman who had the semi automatic he held pointed right at her face from his position back on the sidewalk. As she advanced on him the guy pulled the trigger and those watching were at first horrified as they figured this girl was dead, but then stared in slack jaw awe as her right hand moved at incredible speed back and forth before her face as she continued to walk forward. The clip was spent and this was shown by the clicking of the gun as the robber was frantically pulling the trigger. The blonde stopped just a few feet from him and raised her right hand, which was closed, up to shoulder height and open it palm down. The spent bullets dropped out and were all accounted for in a rain of brass. This now in turn had the robber turning to an instinctual last resort, and that was preparing to throw the now useless weapon at this inhuman woman before him.

The blonde gave the bank robber an unamused look while placing her hands on her hips. "Oh yeah, like that's gonna work." She stated with a stern tone of voice that showed just how irritated she was towards this guy, who now dropped the gun and put his hands up.

That was when the police finally showed up in a flurry of six squad cars with flashing lights. As soon as they pulled up they were out of their cars in a flash and had their weapons drawn. The blonde looked over at them as one was yelling for her not to move. With her attention on the police, the robber decided to make one last ditch effort to at least go down fighting. Pulling out a butterfly knife from his pants pocket he flipped it open and sprang forward at the cape wearing woman.

From her spot behind the car, Lana's eyes went wide as she saw this and out of instinct called out to her. "Watch out!"

Turning her head to see what was going on after hearing Lana scream and the police start to shot threats of opening fire, the blonde watched as the gleaming steel blade of a knife came down on her chest. On impact the blade shattered completely and the stunned bank robber was given a right hook across the face that sent him flying backwards and off to the side, where he crashed right into the side of a police car. Everyone had gone quiet, even the police. Slowly people started to stand up, come out from hiding, and all came towards that spot containing the blonde girl from three days ago who had thrown a full sized car like it was a toy after catching it. Two officers had moved from their positions to arrest the shaken robber on the street and the unconscious one just at their feet.

The blonde watched everything with her eyes, taking it all in. The police who hadn't gone to arrest the bank robbers just stared dumbstruck at the girl who had taken a knife to the chest and proved to be seemingly unaffected by the attack. No one who had seen it, was able to explain why the blade had hit and shattered like a piece of glass. Clark, Lana, and Lex were all out from behind the car just standing there and staring. Their reactions were all different from one another. Clark held a huge grin on his face as he had born witness once again to her inhuman strength and reminded himself he wasn't so alone after all with her here now. Lana held a look of awe on her face as she too was grinning broadly at how the blonde girl had just not only put an end to a bad situation but also had done it so that no one else had been hurt. And Lex, well, he looked about as dumbstruck as everyone else around that specific area of the street as he continued to just stare.

As things seemed to be under control, the cape wearing blonde turned away from the police in gesture of leaving. Her actions were caught by a few officers, one of which called out at her. "Hey! You wait right there!" Stopping as told, she turned partially to watch as the officer who had yelled at her come around the squad car he had been beside and approach her in a stern but cautious manner. Reaching to where he had about five feet between him and this girl, who he just watch take a knife to the chest and knock a guy across the street hard enough to but a dent in the side of the car, he gazed harshly at her for a moment before his face dropped to one of relief and complete respect. "Thank you." He stated while extending a hand to her. A bit apprehensive at first, she then slowly placed her hand within his and shook hands with him. Almost as if on cue every single person on the street burst into cheers and applause all at the same time. Once the hand shake ended, the officer just shook his head still in the disbelief he was trying to still get over. "Who are you anyways?" he asked.

The blue eyes of the blonde seemed to light up from deep within as a smile spread across her face as she placed her hands on her hips. "I fight for truth, justice, and the American way. My name is Supergirl." She stated proudly.


	7. Tabloid Material

Chapter Seven

Tabloid Material

Stepping out of the Talon with a full cup of Vanilla latte in hand, Chloe Sullivan headed towards her car which was parked across the street. It was mid afternoon, around three o'clock or so, and Chloe had been talking with Clark and Kara inside the Talon for over an hour and a half about the still hot news of Smallville's newest hero – Supergirl. But now she had to leave to get started on digging up whatever she could on this Supergirl for her latest editorial for the Torch. After looking both ways before crossing, Chloe waited for a few cars to pass by while taking a sip from her latte and then adjusted the strap of the book bag she had on her shoulder. With the street now clear Chloe again looked both ways just to be on the safe side and then started to cross while digging her keys out of her jeans pocket. Just as she came to the middle of the street Chloe lost grip on her keys and dropped them.

"Dang it!" Chloe muttered under her breath while crouching down to grab them quickly before a vehicle came barreling down on her. Standing up quickly with keys in hand, she hardly took two steps when the onslaught of a heavy tires screeching and people on the sidewalks now screaming and shouting brought Chloe's head to sweep around to her immediate left, only stare wide-eyed in frozen horror as a eighteen wheeler came swerving down the street right for her as it side swiped parked cars along the way.

Unable to force her brain and body to act as one, Chloe became the proverbial deer caught in the headlights as the semi truck was only now seconds from hitting her. The last thing Chloe caught before she shut her eyes and prepared for the worst, was the sight of the driver behind the wheel sagging forward in his seat. A sudden hush seemed to have swept in over the entire street only for the sounds of tires being forced to slow down and metal groaning under some sort of pressure to take over and brining Chloe's eyes to open. Shocked to the core, Chloe just stared at the yellow monogrammed S-shield upon the background of a fire engine red cape sway lightly before her eyes. Very close to her eyes in fact. The fact that she was still alive and not one with the road at that very moment had the blonde loosing her balance as all strength left her legs. Chloe landed in a sitting position on the road while still continuing to stare up at the sight before her. Almost at the last second before the semi was close enough to hitting Chloe, Supergirl had dropped down out of the sky and held her arms straight out so that as the behemoth of a vehicle slammed into her open palms with a large amount of momentum behind it pushing forwards. Supergirl held her ground and pushed back, but only enough to both stop the semi and yet keep the driver inside from any major injuries as a result. The super hero was only pushed back enough by the force of the truck to where her cape just barely hung inches from Chloe's face.

Once the eighteen wheeler had stopped, Supergirl breathed a quiet sigh of relief as she stepped out the braced stance she had placed herself in and removed her hands from the grill of the semi. Her handprints were clearer seen within the cross hatching grill of the truck just going to show that this blonde young woman was extraordinarily inhuman in the strength she possessed. Turning partially around so that she now stood sideways, Supergirl looked down at Chloe who was still staring up at her with a doe-eyed expression of pure shock mixed with the terror of a near death experience she had just been dealt. Supergirl gave her a very much concerned look while crouching down to her level and placing a gloved hand on her shoulder. Every muscle in Chloe's body had gone completely tense during the whole ordeal and still remained that way as discovered by just touching her shoulder.

"Chloe, are you okay?" Supergirl asked while searching the frightened girl's face that stared back at her for an unspoken answer.

Chloe nodded her head in response, which in turn she received a relieved smile from the blonde hero who now removed her hand from its place on her shoulder and stood. Supergirl offered that same hand out to Chloe to take in order to stand her on her feet again, which she quickly took a hold of and then found herself easily pulled up without any sort of over excreted effort on Supergirl's part. "Thank you." Chloe managed to get out loud enough for her to hear.

Supergirl's smile grew a bit as she released Chloe's hand. "It's my job." She winked while glancing over towards the Talon from whose doors had already come several people she recognized – Clark and Lana. Both teens came running over to Chloe and asked if she was okay, to which she responded with a vigorous nodding of her head while her eyes remained on Supergirl who was now leaving the front of the truck to the driver side.

Stepping on to the metal step-up that stuck out from the semi truck's cab, Supergirl stood off to the right of the door and grabbed a hold of the handle. With a quick jerk the door lock snapped easily and allowed the door itself to swing openly freely. Supergirl looked into the cab and noticed that the driver was knocked unconscious. Already knowing that her stopping the truck had nothing to do with his status, as she had seen the truck swerving about on the road in the first place, Supergirl quickly checked to make sure he still had a pulse. When she found it a sense of even greater relief washed over her as she reached across him and broke the seatbelt slip to free him. Taking a hold of the truck driver in a careful way, Supergirl eased him out slowly as she floated off the metal step-up and then brought both her self and the driver down to the ground. Clark left Chloe with Lana as he came around to see how the driver was.

"Is he okay?" Clark asked while kneeling down beside the driver and looking him over quickly with an usually hard stare before he glanced up at Supergirl.

She nodded down at him in assurance. "I believe so. I didn't catch any broken bones or internal injuries when looked him over. It might just be a mild concussion, but something just doesn't seem right about all this." Supergirl replied in a quiet manner as she knelt down beside Clark to speak privately. "Clark, I called Chloe by her name. I don't think she caught it, but if she did, try and keep her from asking too many questions." Supergirl instructed quietly while glancing over towards the front of the truck where she now caught Lana and Chloe coming around from. "Stay with him." She added before getting up to her feet and giving the two girls a quick smile before she turned towards the trailer the semi was hauling.

The side of the truck held the name **Luthor Corp. **printed across its side in bold black letters. _Figures. _Her blue eyes narrowed at the name they read before focusing and kicking in the use of x-ray vision. The negative-like view of the inside of the trailer brought up a half packed cargo of metal drums holding labels reading bio hazard. Supergirl's breath nearly caught in her throat as she saw this. _What the hell is this! _Focusing harder she now saw the contents of the drums, which held a green glow to it. _Oh god…._ Supergirl's brow furrowed as she dismissed her use of x-ray vision and then shook her head lightly. Her eyes happened to glance over to Clark who seemed fine, as so was she. The kryptonite was too far from them to do any real harm, but that didn't mean it the smallest effects were going unfelt. A very faint sense of light headiness was starting to come up on Supergirl to which she shook her head slightly before looking to the right of her as the sounds of an approaching car coming to a stop caught her attention.

A silver Porsche had pulled up just off to the side of the semi truck. _Not bad timing there Lex. _Supergirl gave the guy stepping out of the expensive car a rather displeased look and then noticed that there were people just standing on the sidewalks pointing and talking amongst themselves over the whole event. _Well, that's definitely something I'll never stop seeing here or back home. _A faint smile flickered across her face as she laughed quietly to herself before she was approached by Lex Luthor.

"Supergirl, well, I see you're no stranger to saving the day." Lex commented as he came to stand just before the blonde and stared up at the truck bearing the company name. He could already tell this wasn't going to go well between him and this blonde beauty of unknown origins and phenomenal power. In return for this he received a rather mellow stare that hid the underlying icy glare hidden in her eyes. Lex looked over at her and offered a very sincere look of apology. "I assure you that I will personal look into this and find the cause." He assured her while happening to glance down at the unconscious truck driver that Clark was kneeling beside with Chloe and Lana standing over him looking down at the man. "Is he alright?" he asked while now turning his attention again to Supergirl.

"For the most part." She answered flatly. "It would be a good idea to get him to a hospital though." Supergirl stated while staring blankly at Lex, offering no expression of any sort to him.

Lex understood this rather well and decided to try and make the best of it as he extended a hand to her. "Thank you." He stated in gesture towards the heroic action she had taken. He had no real idea of what she had truly prevented since he had just come around the corner of the street to only see her knelt with Clark over the unconscious driver and then get up to only stare at the trailer. For all he could tell from this, he knew she had done more than he could guess and for that he wanted to thank her.

Clark watched along with Chloe and Lana as Supergirl took a moment before taking the offered hand of Lex Luthor. However, just between the two of them only they knew what was now said and done as Supergirl applied just a small amount of strength to Lex's hand in her grip. "I suggest that you don't try to become so friendly with me, Lex." She stated in a quiet voice that he heard well enough. "Not after what I just saw in that trailer."

Wincing in the slightest as his hand was starting to feel as though it were in a slowly closing vice grip Lex stared straight into Supergirl's blue eyes. "I assure you that whatever is in that trailer, I have no knowledge of. Our company wasn't even supposed to be shipping anything today." He stated in response to her rather rough acknowledgement to his offered hand that wasn't shook only held in that grip of hers.

"If you say so." Supergirl released her hold on his hand and only gave him one final stare of nothing before looking back over her shoulder at the group of teens who were now staring at her with rather awe struck stares. She gave them a friendly smile before nodding at them and turning away to walk passed Lex a few steps and take her self up into the skies, streaking off to leave everyone down on earth to gaze after her in wonder at the unbelievable sight of the laws of physics and even reason itself defied.

Chloe suddenly snapped out of the trance she had placed herself in during the whole ordeal as something finally struck her. "That's weird." She stated aloud, partially to herself while it also caught the attention of her friends to her. "Supergirl called me by my name, like she knew who I was." She explained while looking from Lana to Clark and back as she was starting to grow rather intrigued with this sudden discovery, and it clearly showed on her face. Lana and Clark were the only ones to pay attention to what Chloe had said as Lex was conveniently on his cell phone calling for an ambulance.

"Chloe!"

Hearing her name called, Chloe turned around to see Kara Kent come running over towards her from the Talon with a look of concern on her face. Reaching her, Kara placed both hands on her shoulders and stared her friend in the eyes. "Are you okay?" she asked while looking her over quickly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Supergirl saved me from being run over." Chloe replied while smiling broadly at the blonde Kent. "Why are you just coming from the Talon now?" she asked as the realization to the fact that Kara was rather late in coming out to check on her was starting to become apparent.

Kara looked from Chloe to Lana with a somewhat guilty look on her face. "Oh, well, I had offered to take some flower arrangements into the back for Lana and hang them up. When I came out someone had mentioned that a semi had nearly run someone over." She explained while Lana came over to stand beside her and nod in agreement to this, while Kara now released Chloe's shoulders and seemed a bit more relieved than she had.

"Yeah, that's right. Kara I'm sorry, I should gotten you when we heard all the commotion." Lana apologized with a look of guilt that Kara had used not but a few seconds ago.

Shaking her head, Kara dismissed it with a smile to Lana who smiled back as she understood what Kara had meant by this as a 'don't worry about it'. Looking over to where Clark was Kara stared at the unconscious driver for a moment before then spotting an approaching Lex Luthor who came to stand in between were the girls stood and Clark was with the truck driver. "An ambulance is on its way." He announced to them while flipping his phone closed. "Apparently I was right. There weren't any deliveries of any kind being shipped today, and I just got word that a trailer was stolen from a Luthor Corp warehouse about an hour ago."

"What does that mean?" Clark asked as he looked up from the truck driver to Lex while the sounds of sirens started to come within distant hearing range.

"It means Clark, that the man lying there on the ground doesn't work for Luthor Corp or he's a very unlucky thief." Lex explained while glancing to where his car was parked as an ambulance had now pulled up and the medics came jumping out with their field kits in hand.

Clark stood up and got out of their way while coming to stand beside Chloe. The group watched as one of the medics went back to the ambulance to retrieve a stretcher while the other carefully placed a neck brace around the guy's neck. Kara glanced over at her cousin who caught her stare and looked over at her with his own perplexed look on the matter. The two shrugged meekly to each other before returning their attention back to the medics who now had the truck driver up on a stretcher and taking him to the back of the ambulance. Lex shook his head slightly and looked back at the group of four just behind him before heading over to his car.

Again exchanging looks with his cousin first, Clark then went after Lex before his friend disappeared inside his car to catch him. "Hey Lex, where are you going?" he asked while coming to a stop as he had a pretty good idea as to where Lex might be headed.

Lex opened the driver side door of his Porsche and then stopped there to answer Clark's question. "The hospital. When this guy wakes up I want to know what he was planning on doing with that trailer and whatever is inside of it."

"What about the trailer?" Clark asked as he looked over now to the large beast just sitting there in street completely dead.

Without even having to really answer that question, Lex merely looked passed Clark and even the girls as there were now several black SUVs pulling up. "I've taken care of it." He answered while giving Clark a small smirk before getting into his car and following after the ambulance that was now leaving for Smallville Community Hospital.

A few men got out of the SUVs and quickly ushered the teens off the street so they could deal with the situation of removing the truck and putting an end to the public scene. The group of four friends relocated themselves to the sidewalk just outside the Talon to watch the truck inspected and then checked to see if it would even start up again. Chloe had already zeroed in on the front grill where she stared at the two hand prints imprinted within the metal. This all greatly fascinated her as she was starting to grow excited over the whole being rescued by a super powered hero who happened to be a girl. This mounting excitement was caught first by Lana who grinned at the short haired blonde beside her.

"You seem rather happy for someone who nearly became close friends with a semi." Lana teased lightly as she wasn't too sure just how touchy the subject would become with Chloe, but as the blonde beamed at her, Lana was now thinking differently.

"She's amazing!" Chloe stated with a broad smile holding to her face. "I mean, I can't believe someone could be that strong and just hold back a rampaging truck like that!" she looked over at the trailer that was now started up and being guided by the other employees of Luthor Corp as it backed up and waited for the SUVs to move out of the way. "What confuses me is how she knew my name." Chloe gave her friends a confused look at this.

Clark and Kara both looked at Chloe with forced looks of puzzlement to accompany her own with fake expressions of surprise to this discovery as well. "Well…maybe she heard someone shout your name before swooping in and saving you." Kara suggested before biting the inside of her lip and hoping that her own little slip up hadn't gotten Chloe too suspicious, but apparently it had either way even as Chloe seemed to be agreeing for the most part to this.

"It makes sense, but I don't remember hearing my name being called out at all." Chloe pointed out while she looked from Kara to Clark and then to Lana with a rather intrigued look on her face that was now speaking volumes and having Kara cover up a grimace with a half hearted smile.

_Nice going Kara. Now you've got your own little reporter chasing after your cape to find out who you are and where you came from. Is this some sort of super hero hazing no one told me about!_

"Oh, Chloe, before I forget." Lana suddenly broke into the middle of Kara's frantic thoughts of how she was going to go about handling the situation of Chloe's reporter instinct, and handed over to Chloe the book bag she had been carrying and then dropped in the street. "I put your keys inside." She explained while the bag was taken from her.

Opening the free mouth of her bag, Chloe spotted the key chain holding her house, car, and various other keys on top of the many items inside. Satisfied in seeing them there as Lana had said they were, Chloe looked up at the brunette and gave her another bright smile. "Thanks Lana."

Lana nodded at her by way of reply and then looked over at the Kent cousins who were staring after the truck as it was now rumbling down the street towards whatever location Lex had specified for it in his phone call. She sighed to herself as she was starting to figure out what they were going to do now. Lana had only known Kara for about three days now and already she could tell that she was definitely related to Clark, and not just because they did seem to have the same facial features. This in a way was kind of odd seeing as how Clark had been adopted by his parents and Kara was blood related to Jonathan Kent as she had been informed after having met Kara. Whatever it was, Lana wasn't going to bust a brain cell trying to figure it out. It could all just be a weird sort of coincidence in the end anyways. "So, Clark, Kara. Are you two going to head off to the hospital as well?" Lana asked while slipping her hands into her jean pockets.

The cousins looked over at her at the same time which seemed kind of eerie to both Lana and Chloe when they did it. "Uh, yeah. How did you…?" Clark trailed off mid way through his sentence before he caught the small smirk on Lana's face and the look in her eye. "Oh, right." He murmured as he now understood what that look was for and what she had meant with that question.

Chloe perked up at this and shot her gaze over to Kara immediately. "You mind if I tag along?" she asked quickly as her reporter instinct had now taken over completely.

Kara's brows rose at the quickness in which Chloe displayed in recovering so quickly from a terrifying event like being near run over by a semi. _What is it with these reporter types anyways? She just near died if it hadn't been for me, and now she's gone all Lane on me! Geez! _Giving Chloe a small smile, Kara just shook her head that she didn't mind, not like if she had said no in any way that it would have stopped Chloe in the least. She may have only known her for a little over three days now like Lana, but already she came to know that when Chloe had set her mind on something there wasn't anything that would stop her from accomplishing the task. Clark just shook his head at how eager Chloe was in all this and grinned over at Lana.

"Well then I'll see you guys later." Lana stated simply while giving the slightest inclination of a tiny bow before heading back into the Talon, leaving the three to head for Clark's pick up across the street.

As soon as all three had their seat belts buckled, Clark pulled out of his spot and headed off towards the hospital. On the way there, Chloe continued to talk almost non-stop about her own suspicions concerning the whole semi gone wild in down town and voicing every question that came to her mind one after the other. And Kara being the one to which every question was mainly relayed to until they finally pulled into a visitor space in the hospital parking lot about twenty minutes later. Trying hard not to just jump from the cab as soon as the parking brake was put into place, Kara unlocked the door and quickly got out only making it look as though for the most part that she was somewhat eager to get inside the hospital. Clark and Chloe came out right after her, and the group made their way up to the front entrance of the hospital.

Just before the door Chloe hesitated and grabbed Kara by the arm and stopped her as well. The fact that he no longer had two blondes walking with him into a hospital caused Clark to now stop and turn to see what was keeping his friend and his cousin. "We'll catch up with you in a minute." Chloe stated while giving him a smile.

"Okay. I'll see you guys in there." Clark replied as he gave Kara an apologetic look before taking off in search of Lex and wherever the truck driver was being roomed in.

Kara looked to the hospital doors and then to Chloe with only having to move her eyes. "What's going on?" she asked in a near sing song voice as she knew there was more to this than Chloe had let on in the first place.

"Well, I just wanted to get your opinion on this whole thing so I can include it in my editorial. Of course it would be mentioned only as an anonymous quote only." Chloe quickly explained and then followed it up with an assurance to Kara's identity not being known when the editorial was read.

Sighing quietly to herself at firs Kara, only had to receive one puppy dog pout from her and she gave in. "Fine." She exhaled while throwing up her hands in defeat. "But you do now that eventually that little pout of yours won't work for much longer, right?" Kara asked while eyeing her friend for a moment with a rather teasing smile starting to crack across her face.

"Yeah I kind of figure that, but until then I might as well get as much use out of it as I can now." Chloe stated while grinning up at her blonde friend. "So…?"

"Honestly, I'm not quite sure what to think. It just all seems to be an accident so far, but considering what we heard from Lex, it looks as though may be only a partial accident." Kara answered while a defeated smile was given to Chloe. "I'm just glad that you're okay."

Chloe nodded at her before gesturing towards the hospital doors with her head. "Let's go find out for sure." She said while hooking her arm with Kara's and starting them off to pass through the automatic doors.

Just for the added humor of no particular reason, Kara glanced over at Chloe as they passed by the information window. "Hey, you think we can get some of that jell-o while we're here?" she asked and now had the fellow blonde laughing as they rounded a corner and headed for the emergency waiting room, where more than likely they would find Clark and Lex waiting for the doctor's report on the trucker driver's condition.

"I wonder who she is…" Chloe murmured quietly to her self aloud which had caught Kara's attention. Realizing this, Chloe glanced up at her and offered a meek smile. "Supergirl. I was talking about Supergirl." She restated her own thoughts to inform Kara of what she had meant.

"What about Supergirl?" Kara asked as she and Chloe unhooked arms on approach of the inside emergency entrance double doors.

"Everything." Chloe stated while Kara pushed open one the doors and allowed her to go in first, causing Chloe to stop and turn sideways after entering the waiting room so she could keep their conversation going between them. "I mean, come one, where did she get those incredible powers? Is she even a resident here in Smallville? I mean she just suddenly shows up out of nowhere a few days ago to stop a bank robbery and not that long after that whole thing with that red skinned pointy eared freak throwing cars around with some weird yellow light." She explained as she followed Kara over to the reception window where a male nurse sat behind a Plexiglas window with a small dome shaped cut out at the bottom.

Kara shook her head while coming to a stop just before the window. "That sounds like tabloid material to me more than anything else." She teased and received a playful glare from her friend before turning her attention to the male nurse.

"Can I help you?"

"Uh yeah, a truck driver was brought in about twenty minutes ago unconscious. I was wondering if you could tell me how he's doing." Kara held a hopeful look on her face while she tried to get information from the nurse, already knowing that more than likely she was going to be denied it seeing as how that was information they couldn't release that freely.

The male nurse gave her an apologetic look as he shook his head. "I'm sorry, but we can't release patient information at this time. You are more than welcome to have a seat and wait." He replied while pointing with a pen in hand towards the specifically grouped chairs that had only a few people sitting in them.

Chloe frowned at this and started to say something before Kara cut her off quickly by turning her about by the shoulders. "Thank you." Kara stated while ushering Chloe over to the chairs and leaving the window behind, only to pause a moment and return with another question. "Um, could you tell me if Lex Luthor is here already?" she asked, hoping at least this question could be answered for her. It was as the male nurse nodded his head in reply. "Thank you again."

"What was that all about?" Chloe asked in a rather annoyed manner as they sat down in the closest set of chairs.

"What was what?" Kara asked while looking over at her with a passive expression on her face for the most part.

"That! Why couldn't they just tell us if he's even alive and breathing?" she replied with just another question and waved her hand over in the direction of the window.

Kara sighed scratching the side of her temple. "Because Chloe, it's called patient confidentiality. Besides, since this guy has something to do with Luthor Corp you really think Lex wants anything getting out that some paper could use against him in false accusation?" she pointed out while glancing over at another set of white doors that held in red letters the words – **ADMITANCE **One visitor to a patient at a time when called – written directly at the center just above and below the silver push bars.

This caused Chloe to furrow her brow further as she read the message on the door. "Then where's Clark?" she countered as it was apparent that he was missing from the scene.

"He's probably with Lex, seeing as how we were about a minute delayed." Kara replied while looking over at the other few people in the waiting room with them. They didn't seem to be in dire need of medical attention, so she only assumed that they were waiting to visit someone they knew who was in emergency. "Don't worry Chloe, I'm sure Clark will come out eventually and fill us in on all the details." She assured her as it appeared that Chloe was getting ready to point out something else that Kara had now just covered and brought the short haired blonde to an end with the questions.

"But –" Chloe began, and then was immediately silenced as Kara raised a hand in gesture for her to stop before she even started. "You're no fun." She muttered while letting her attention take a new train of focus right over to the vending machine the waiting room had over in the corner.

"Yeah, I get that a lot." Kara replied before having to do a double take in order to realize where Chloe had relocated herself to all in about three seconds. _Whoa, and I thought Flash moved fast. He's got nothing on a sugar deprived teen. _Kara grinned to herself for comparing the fastest man alive with a teenager who was in need of having a chocolate craving.

As Chloe gave small 'yes' in triumph to having her wanted bag of m&m's come to her without a fight from the vending machine, the admittance door opened with Clark coming out from behind it and looking around towards the waiting room. Kara caught sight of him and got up from her seat to catch his attention. Seeing his blonde cousin coming towards him with Chloe in tow, Clark gave her a small gesture of the head in asking of them to step off to the side with him. Once the three were a little more out of the way to the admittance door and from the hearing range of others, Chloe shot the first question. "How's the driver?"

"Fine for the most part. He's still unconscious and the doctor's are thinking he might wake up with a mild to serious concussion, but there's no broken bones or internal injuries." Clark explained while flashing over a quick grin to Kara. "I guess Supergirl saved more than just one person in all of this." He commented while now turning his gaze to Chloe.

"Definitely. It would have ended a lot worse if it hadn't been for her showing up like she did." Chloe agreed while grimacing at the thought having been nearly killed just an hour ago. "So is Lex looking into this guy's employment with Luthor Corp?" she now asked to take the conversation in a different direction now and refocusing in on how the whole thing came to be.

Clark nodded to this in reply while Kara shook her head slightly for her own personal reasons. "That is going to be one heck of a clean up job on his part for whatever reasons." Kara pointed out just before the admittance door opened again and this time had Lex coming out from behind it with his cell phone on his ear. "Speak of the man."

Lex hung up his end of the call he had been involved with and looked over at the blonde Kent who was staring at him with a rather unreadable look on her face. "I assume you mean me with that." He gave her a small smile as he slipped his phone into the pocket of his coat. In return for this Lex received a nod of the head and faint smirk from Kara, to which only he seemed to smile just a bit more before addressing the others as well. "Apparently his name is George Anderson. He works at a Luthor Corp warehouse in Metropolis as a truck driver."

The mention of the name Metropolis had Kara perking up a bit as this reminded her of where John and Wally were at that moment tracking down Sinestro while trying to figure out a way home for them. _I haven't heard from them since they left. Maybe I should check in on their status with the situation when we get back to the farm. _Kara made a mental note and then returned her attention back to what Lex was saying about the truck driver.

"My father has already gotten word about the matter." Lex stated while taking more cynical tone to his voice as he talked. The look on his face told his feelings on this new matter he had relayed to them after receiving word.

"So, what's he gonna do Lex?" Clark asked as he managed to break the awkward silence before it could set in on them.

Lex looked over at Clark and smirked slightly at the question, as apparently he found some sort of humor in the answer he already knew. "He's coming in of course. Right now as we speak actually." He gave a very tiny laugh after this while watching a nurse pass by them and enter the emergency center behind him.

Kara looked over at Clark as she didn't quite understand why Lex seemed rather upset over the fact that his dad was coming in from wherever he currently was. Clark glanced over at Kara and just gave the smallest of head shakes to let her know that he would explain later on about the whole thing. Nodding to this, Kara returned her attention back to Lex. "When's he supposed to arrive?"

"He should be here in about twenty to thirty minutes, depending on just how important this really is to him." Lex replied in answer to Kara's question and then suddenly a rather amused look came across his face as he realized something. "That's right. You haven't had the pleasure of knowing who my father is." He stated while raising a brow at Kara.

"No, I haven't. But something tells me that he's not exactly a saint." Kara replied while allowing her lips to play with a smirk.

Something about the smirk Kara had given Lex intrigued him and almost registered as unintentional flirting on the blonde's part. "And you'd be more than correct in the sense, yes. So tell me, how did you come to that particular conclusion?" he asked while allowing his attention and gaze to remain solely on Kara, shutting out Clark and Chloe's presence there with them.

Kara shrugged to this while maintaining that same smirk from before. "Your tone of voice and the look on your face." She answered. "Practically gave it away."

Lex smiled broadly at this and looked to Clark. "Quite the cousin you have here Clark." He commented before looking at Kara again.

"Oh trust me, I'm full of surprises." Kara stated while raising her brows for a moment in emphasis to this as she crossed her arms.

Chloe glanced between both her friend and Lex Luthor for a moment, taking note of the whole conversation. She was starting to see something between the two of them and it seemed rather interesting to say the least. _I don't believe it. Is Lex Luthor actually flirting with Kara? _Thinking on this possibility, Chloe decided to talk with Kara about it later when either Lex or Clark was around to hear it. Instead, she now turned her attention back to the truck driver that worked Luthor Corp. "So Lex, what was in the trailer of the semi?" Chloe asked as she switched on her reporter mode.

Lex turned his attention to Chloe. "In all honesty, I have no idea as to what was in that trailer. I'll be finding out soon enough once it has been properly dealt with." He answered knowing that Chloe was digging for information to use in a Torch article. "However, once I do receive information on this whole situation I will make sure to that you are the first to receive what I can make available." He then assured her as a look crossed the young reporter's face that Lex recognized rather quickly.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to hold my editorial until later." Chloe sighed with a disappointed look on her face and then glanced over at Kara. "I guess we don't have too much of a reason to hang around here. How about we go get that jell-o you were talking about?" she suggested while offering her fellow blonde a grin.

A bright grin crossed Kara's face at this as she looked over at Clark to see if there was anything he had against them going off to the cafeteria. Clark nodded his head at her with a slight grin. "I'll catch up with you guys…I mean girls." He quickly re-corrected himself.

Both blondes suppressed their laughter at what Clark had said and then after saying short 'byes' to Lex, they left the waiting room lobby of the walk-in emergency and made their way towards the cafeteria. Chloe led the way as they walked side by side since of course she was familiar with the hospital, as she had been either a patient or visitor there at one point or another. For a while the two teen girls were quiet until Chloe decided to ask Kara a question she had been wanting an answer to for a while now. "So, Kara, you still never really answered me before when I asked how you knew Bruce Wayne."

"Right." Kara sighed while knowing that beating around the bush wasn't going to help this situation any longer. "What about him?" she asked while glancing over at Chloe who had brought them both in through the door to the cafeteria.

"How exactly, and in specific detail, do you know him?" Chloe asked as they headed towards a large refrigerator with sliding glass doors so one could see what they wanted before opening the door. Chloe slid the left side door open and grabbed a rather large plastic cup of red jell-o while keeping the door open for Kara.

Grabbing a cup of blue jell-o, Kara sighed while tapping the top of the plastic lid that covered the contents inside the small container. "Specific detail? There's really nothing that specific Chloe." She stated as it was actually half true in some sense. The two girls headed over to the cash register to pay for their desserts.

As Kara went to grab a few bills from her jeans pocket, Chloe stopped her. "Oh, no, this is on me." She declared while setting her own dish down and opening her purse as the lady behind the counter told Chloe that the total for both desserts was going to be 2.50 all together. "Okay then," she dug out a five and handed it over to the gal while glancing over at Kara. "Nothing that specific." Receiving her change back Chloe and Kara walked towards a small condiment counter where they grabbed a plastic spoon each and then headed for the nearest empty table.

As the two blonde teens sat down and popped off the lids to their deserts, Kara stabbed her spoon into the blue jell-o she had chosen. "I only met him Chloe, and it was in a…bookstore. Yeah, I bumped into him accidentally and when ended up having a short twenty-minute conversation in which he introduced himself as Bruce Wayne. That's it." She quickly explained before shoving a spoon full of jell-o into her mouth hoping that would end the discussion.

Chloe frowned at this, but apparently she did seem somewhat convinced for the moment and that Kara was grateful for. "Oh." Was the only reply Chloe gave to the story she had been given. "That's it? What did you guys talk about then?" she now asked as the small effect of defeat had suddenly passed over rather quickly.

_Oh come on! _"Well, now that I think about it…" Kara paused a moment as a confused looked crossed over her face. "I don't remember." She murmured partially to herself while her brows knitted together in a manner that told Chloe she really wasn't remembering.

Giving her friend a small smile, Chloe waved the whole thing off while slicing into her own jell-o. "Forget it then. It's fine. Besides, I got an exclusive in the works for the Torch." She stated as her smile grew a bit brighter before sticking a spoonful of jell-o into her mouth.

"The whole Luthor Corp truck nearly turning you into a pancake?" Kara asked just to clarify what Chloe was talking about and received a shake of the head in reply to this, which now actually had Kara confused to say the least as she raised an eyebrow.

"That's secondary right now since I don't have all the information." She replied. "I'm talking about Smallville's own personal superhero, Supergirl."

To which Kara replied to by nearly choking on her blue jell-o.


	8. Reversal Role Model

Chapter Eight

Reversal Role Model

The back door of the Kent farmhouse opened followed by the screen as Jonathan Kent came walking out into the late afternoon with his blonde niece following after him. Today she hadn't gone to school with Clark as Jonathan had asked for her help on the farm tractor. There were repairs and work needed to be done on it, and with another super powered teen around the farm it was going to be much easier and more reliable to get it done without any problems. The two entered the open barn where the red tractor sat waiting for them on several jacks that Jonathan had Clark prop it up with before he left for school. "Kara, I'm gonna need you to stick close just in case one of the jacks decide to move on me." Jonathan stated while grabbing a wrench and red handkerchief off the near by shelf before he sat down beside the tractor. "The last time I worked on the old girl by myself, I ended up receiving a broken leg for it when the tractor fell."

"Ouch." Kara winced as she crouched down beside her uncle. "How'd that happen?" she asked while he started to work on the underside of the tractor. Kara was genuinely curious to hear the story and found it a great opportunity to get to know her cousin's father a bit better than she already had back in her timeline.

Jonathan gave a light laugh to her question, but seeing as how she was serious about it, he decided to tell her. "Well, I had wanted to get some repairs done on the tractor and your aunt was running late, so I went ahead and started without her. Which was a big mistake, because not even a minute after I started working on it a jack slipped out from under it and the tractor fell on my leg." Jonathan glanced over at Kara to see what type of reaction his story had received. The look on her face was one of a small grimace. "Luckily enough for me, Clark just happened to get home almost at the same time it happened and he got the tractor off me. It was of course broken and Clark took me to the hospital."

The blonde teen nodded to this as she watched the tractor and the jacks it sat on. The last thing she needed now was for history to literally repeat itself right then and there. "Well you don't have to worry about that happening again since you have me here with you this time." Kara stated with her blue-eyed gaze coming to rest on her uncle.

"Such are the advantages of having a son and niece from another planet with the same identical powers and personalities." Jonathan remarked while taking a turn on the nut he was working to loosen on the backside of the front tractor wheel. "Kara, can you see what's keeping this nut from turning for me?" he asked while still struggling to loosen the stubborn piece of molded metal.

Kara nodded and looked at the spot her uncle had indicated to. Focusing upon it and concentrating, Kara's x-ray vision kicked in and saw through the tractor metal. The skeletal hand of her uncle yanking on the wrench he was using appeared and so did the stubborn nut that didn't want to turn. Looking a bit harder she could see that the thing wasn't really moving at all no matter how hard Jonathan tugged at it. Ending the x-ray negative view, Kara glanced over at her uncle. "It just looks like it's being a pain." She told him with a small grin forming on her lips. "I can loosen it if you want." Kara offered while he gave one final tug on the wrench, only to have a rather disturbing sound emit from where the jack was holding the front end up.

The jack had finally wobbled onto its edge and then decided it was going to dump the heavy piece of machinery on the leg of Jonathan Kent once again. However, this time around it wasn't going to happen as Kara realized what was about to happen and reached both hands out to come up under the heavy tractor and caught it just as it started to fall. Jonathan had been thoroughly startled by the whole event and had made to try and quickly move but it would have been useless if Kara hadn't been there to catch the tractor. "Uncle Jon, are you okay?" Kara asked quickly with a worried tone in her voice as she lifted the tractor up enough so she could get the jack back under it.

"Yeah. Just a bit rattled." He replied while exhaling heavily and glancing up at the worried teen beside him with a relieved smile. "Thank you Kara. That would have been a painful repeat." Jonathan pointed out in slight humor that most people felt after a rather quickly terrifying event.

Getting the jack back under the tractor, Kara looked over at her uncle and smiled as well. "No problem. Family is supposed to look out for each other." She grinned while standing up. "I'm gonna go around to the front and keep a hand on it there in case it decides to go rogue on us again."

"Good idea." Jonathan agreed while reassuming his position under the tractor again and reached under to grab a hold of the wrench, but hesitated a moment. "Kara could you…"

The blonde teen laughed lightly while reaching under the tractor and took a hold of the wrench while keeping her other hand up under the fender. With one small pull Kara's alien strength had the nut loosened finally as she turned it over then to her uncle to finish. For most of the afternoon the two Kent's worked on the tractor without any other incidents occurring as they traded back-stories the whole time.

At around two o'clock their work was finished and Martha had come out to the barn to let them know she had lemonade waiting for them inside. Jonathan stood up on his feet and brushed the dirt and hay from his pants before putting his tools up. Wiping the sweat from his brow, Jonathan looked over at his niece who was currently lifting the tractor up with one hand so it sat in a position similar to that of a boom box on a kid's shoulder while using her foot to scoot the four jacks off to one side so she could set it back down. The girl didn't even break a sweat, which had Jonathan shaking his head and laughing to himself as he compared his son to this blonde heroine from the future.

"Come on kiddo, let's go inside and get something to drink." He gestured for her to follow with a wave of his hand as he started towards the farmhouse.

"Alright." Kara called after him while setting the tractor down on the barn floor and then gave it a slight glare. "You're an evil piece of machinery, you know that?" she accused it before kicking the tire lightly enough to where she didn't do anything to it and then headed out to follow after her uncle.

Outside the barn, Kara had just begun crossing the yard when the sound of tires against gravel caught her attention. At first she thought it was Clark, but that idea was quickly dashed as she took notice of the sleek silver body coming up the driveway. Kara stopped walking and stood where she was as the expensive car came to a stop just some ten feet from her in the driveway and the driver side door opened. Lex stepped out and closed the door after him before walking towards Kara. _What's he doing here? _"Hey Lex." She greeted her cousin's friend with a faint smile as she spoke.

"Not in school today Kara?" Lex asked as he came to stand just before her with a bit of a friendly smirk playing on his lips.

Kara smiled back at him in response to the little poking tease he was starting. It had been a little over a week now since she and two other members of the Justice League; Green Lantern and The Flash arrived in Smallville, and even after the whole Chloe almost being run over with a Luthor Corp truck, Kara had somehow come around to not acting a forced liking towards him. Actually in some sense she was seeing that this Lex Luthor was nothing like the man she at times faced off against alongside her cousin. It was if they were two completely different people. This Lex seemed a lot more…well, nicer and likeable in a sense. "Obviously." She replied in sarcastic good humor. "Uncle Jonathan needed some help around the farm today so I offered to stay behind and help out." Kara explained while casually crossing her arms over her chest and standing in a more relaxed position. Lex nodded his understanding to this, which caused Kara then to ask him a question. "So, what's up? I know you didn't come all the way out here to play truant officer on me."

This had Lex laughing a bit with a broad smile cutting across his rather handsome face. "You have a pretty sharp wit there Ms. Kent." He stated while giving her a rather amused look. "Well since you asked, I was hoping to find your cousin at home but obviously I'm early." He gestured at the fact that Clark's truck was missing by looking over to where it was usually parked. "But I think you might want to hear this as well." Lex stated with a bit of a sly grin. "The truck driver that nearly killed Chloe a few days ago was finally released from the hospital and then immediately arrested by Metropolis police who were tipped off to his whereabouts. Apparently, our friend George Anderson is wanted for various theft crimes back in Metropolis."

"Really?" Kara raised a brow as her voice held a laugh to it. "Somehow that doesn't seem to surprise me."

"Me either, but I've heard stranger and more surprising." Lex replied. "The police took him into custody and are waiting to interrogate him later back in Metropolis as to why he stole a truck from Luthor Corp." Lex explained while his gaze remained intent upon the blonde before him.

Kara's brows furrowed a moment as something struck her. "What was inside the truck anyways?" she asked, even though she already knew what it was after having viewed the inside of the trailer with her x-ray vision when the whole thing went down.

Lex shook his head at this with an unhappy look on his face. "I'm not sure. As soon as my father arrived he had the truck taken back to the warehouse and then told me not to worry about it or what was inside, to which he said, was simply nothing but empty barrels." He answered while giving Kara a rather curious look for a moment but then allowed it to pass. "Something tells me that Chloe won't buy that when she comes knocking for information on the situation." He added in with a slight grin forming.

"Well, I can't say you have no idea seeing as how you've known Chloe longer than I have. But I can totally understand what you mean." Kara replied with a grin as she recalled the whole thing where Chloe wouldn't stop bugging her about Bruce Wayne, to which Kara ended rather well at the hospital a few days ago. But something told her it wasn't entirely over just yet until Chloe was satisfied.

"Right, the whole Bruce Wayne thing. I heard about that. So tell me Kara, how does a young lady such as you randomly run into Bruce Wayne?" Lex asked while raising a brow at her in lack of innocent curiosity.

Kara gave Lex a rather unamused glare in return for his question. "Let me guess, you heard it from either Chloe or Lana. Right?" she asked while uncrossing her arms and placing her hands on her hips now.

"It was a reliable source." Lex smirked as he knew that this wasn't too hard for a hint for Kara to get the answer on her own.

"It was Chloe." Kara corrected him to which Lex's smirk became a grin. "I knew it wouldn't take long before someone else found out about that whole thing. " She sighed, both because she didn't want this hassle and for the fact that she had been stupid enough to even say anything about Bruce to Chloe in the first place when asked about Gotham City. _Why didn't you just say Coast City or Edge City? There's no one there of high importance and rumor mill material._

Thankfully enough, Kara was saved from further explanation on the subject as Clark's truck came driving up the gravel road towards the farmhouse and parked closer to the barn so that Lex had a way to get out when he was ready to leave. Both Lex and Kara looked over at the pickup truck as it came to a stop and the engine died. Clark got out of the cab and came around the backside of the vehicle. "Hey, Lex." He greeted while squinting slightly as the sun for a moment hit his eyes.

"Hey Clark. Finally free from school I see." Lex commented while extending a hand towards his young friend, who took it in his own and shook hands with him.

Clark shrugged. "For the moment anyways." He replied while glancing over at his cousin who was grinning at him and returned it with his own. Looking back at Lex, he still held a cheerful look on his face while the grin disappeared a bit. "So what brings you out here?" Clark asked as he knew that Lex usually came out to the farm when it was something important.

"Actually, I already told Kara everything since you were missing in action here." He replied while glancing over at the blonde before returning to Clark. "I came by to let you guys know that George Anderson was released from the hospital and then was taken into police custody immediately. He's wanted in Metropolis for various theft crimes." Lex repeated what he had already told Kara to Clark.

Clark raised his brows at this. "Surprise, surprise." He commented while grinning a bit now again. "I guess that means you'll be expecting a call from Chloe soon then." Clark's voice held a slight air of laughter in it as he spoke.

"She's already left two messages for me at the mansion." Lex stated while reaching into his coat pocket for his cell phone as it started to ring and vibrate at the same time. "Excuse me." He gave his two friends a quick apology while flipping open his phone and answering the call coming through.

While Lex took a few steps away from the two cousins in order to make sure that if this call was private it remained that way while there was no offense towards the two Kent teens, Clark stepped closer to his cousin for a small conversation between them before Lex returned his attention back on them. "Have you gotten a hold of John and Wally yet?" he asked having known of her concern over the lack of communication from the two adult super heroes.

Kara shook her head to this while crossing her arms again over her chest. "No, I haven't. I'm starting to get a little worried now. I mean, I know they've been active longer than I have in the Justice League and just being superheroes in general…"

"But you're worried anyways. Kara, I don't blame you, and I don't think they would blame you either." Clark assured her while laying a hand on her shoulder and giving a small squeeze.

"I know, but something just feels a little off for some reason." She stated quietly as Lex's phone call ended and had him turning about to face the two of them. Kara forced herself to give him a small smile now while Clark did the same only it wasn't exactly forced.

Lex pocketed his cell phone and gave them both an apologetic look before speaking. "I have to attend to some business that just came up. I'll see you guys later." He gave them a nod while taking a few steps backwards before turning about and taking to his car.

Once Lex had gotten into his Porsche and turned about to head back down the driveway, Clark looked over at his cousin. "So, did my dad work you pretty hard today?" he asked with a hidden grin as he started to walk towards the house with Kara following after him at his side.

"Nothing I couldn't handle. But I have to admit, it was fun to work on the farm again." Kara's eyes became a bit wide at how she had just let slip that small piece of information that would now surely have Clark asking her some other questions she knew she couldn't answer for fear doing something to his future. Her eyes darted over at her cousin trying to see if he looked a bit confused at what she had said; only to find he was grinning still.

The two teens entered the house and found themselves directly in the kitchen were Martha and Jonathan were talking about something between themselves when they came in. Martha perked up at their entrance and smiled over at her son and niece as they came towards the part of the kitchen containing the fridge. "Kara, I thought you were coming in with Jonathan earlier?" she questioned as the blonde seated herself in an empty stool that sat around the small island, while Clark grabbed two glasses off the dish rack and brought them over to the table.

"Oh, I got a bit distracted." Kara gave her aunt a sheepish smile while taking the offered glass of lemonade from Clark. "Lex showed up when I was leaving the barn. He told me that the truck driver that had stolen the truck from Luthor Corp was released from the hospital today, and then was taken right in police custody." She repeated the story to her aunt and uncle, who in turn looked rather surprised. "Lex said he was wanted in Metropolis for various theft crimes." After finishing the short tale, Kara took a drink from her lemonade.

Clark looked over at his mom and dad who didn't look too surprised just like himself when the whole theft crimes thing was mentioned. Then something dawned on him that he hadn't thought about when Lex was there and had him glancing back over at his cousin. "Did Lex ever say what was inside that trailer?"

The Kryptonian teen's brows furrowed a bit at this. Lex had said he didn't know since his dad took custody of the truck almost immediately and for the most part she had no real reason yet to not believe him, while on the other hand she did know what had been in there. "Lex said he didn't know since his dad had the truck taken back to the Metropolis warehouse it was stolen from. But I don't need Lex to tell me about something I already saw." She explained while setting her glass down on the tile counter of the island and still held a slight frown on her face. "That truck had over fifteen barrels of green kryptonite inside its trailer."

The looks on the faces of all three Kent's solidified the fact that this was nothing short of serious. Kara had come to learn over the week's time that she lived on the Kent Farm that the family knew what kryptonite was, what its affects were, and just how harmful it was to Clark. They also knew now that kryptonite also weakened Kara just as it did with Clark, which brought them to learn even more about this other survivor of Krypton. Clark stared down at his glass that was already now half-empty. Something was weighing seriously upon him and it showed as Kara held now a concerned look towards him. Jonathan also noticed the look on his son's face and offered a piece of assurance and advice to him at the same time. "Clark, you don't have to worry about every little thing that happens with Luthor Corp when it doesn't involve you directly."

"But what if just the little things slip by when I should have paid closer attention to them? We didn't even know that Lionel was investigating me until mom was taken hostage with him in the office at Metropolis. " Clark pointed out as his tone of voice showed that he was becoming somewhat stressed out.

Kara looked between the members of the family while biting the inside of her bottom lip as she did. The last thing she wanted was to get them all involved in something that caused friction in the household. Thinking for a moment as an awkward silence fell in the kitchen, Kara suddenly was struck with a rather good idea that would at least get Clark's mind off the whole Luthor Corp and kryptonite thing for a while. "Hey Clark, you remember when we were coming back from lunch at the mansion and what we were talking about?" she asked and grabbed the attention of her cousin away from whatever he had been thinking about. Clark nodded slowly that he remembered. "Okay then, let's go." Kara announced while getting up from her seat and received a rather confused look in return.

"Go where?" Clark asked while raising a brow as he was clearly confused from what Kara was telling him to do.

Looking over at her aunt and uncle, Kara gave them a broad smile. "Uncle Jonathan do you mind if I borrow Clark for a while?" she asked just to make sure it was alright before doing anything else. The answer she needed came in a nod from him, which then had her looking to her aunt. "We'll be back in time for dinner then." Kara stated while grabbing Clark by the arm and dragging him off his seat and out the door. "Bye!" she called out to them as the two teens headed down the porch stairs.

Both Jonathan and Martha watched as Kara continued to drag a still confused Clark away by the arm and smiled as they knew what Kara was possibly up to with this.

Clark didn't really put up much of a fight as his cousin continued to drag him along. The blonde teen had taken the direction of heading towards the cattle fields where she knew no one would see them unless they purposely tracked out to find them, and even then it would be a rather long walk…but not for the two teens. Kara came to a stop just around the corner of the house and released her hold on Clark's arm.

"Alright, we race to the end of the pasture." Kara announced while taking up a ready position beside Clark, who gave her an even greater look of confusion. Catching it out of the corner of her eye Kara continued to look forward towards the desired destination she had in mind while grinning impishly. "Weren't you the one who wanted to find out just how strong I am?" she asked in reminder of the question he had asked of her a while back ago.

Clark gave a short laugh as he remembered and just shook his head as he took up a ready racing position as well. "On three, right?"

"Of course. We need to settle this tie thing between us on who's faster. You wanna do the honors?" She asked while glancing over at him with that same impish smirk still holding to her face. Her answer was the exact same grin from him and then both teens faced forward.

"One…two…three!"

In a flash both Kryptonian teens were racing across the cattle pasture in two separate blurs of blue as they were moving almost as fast as the speed of sound at this point. Kara pushed ahead for a few seconds only to have Clark quickly catch up and run even with her until they reached the halfway point in several seconds in which Kara then pushed ahead once again. In a time of only seven seconds the two teens reached the far end of the pasture and unfortunately it was once again a tie as they came to a stop just under an old windmill. Kara exaggerated an exhale while throwing her hands up at the fact that they had tied once again.

Clark cracked a smile at the way she was acting so dramatic over the out come of their race and laughed lightly. "Oh come on Kara, it's not that bad. It just means you can't beat me and I can't loose." He pointed out in teasing humor while receiving a cold mock glare from her in return.

"So basically it sounds as though you're declaring yourself the winner." Kara retorted while crossing her arms and continuing the mock glare she was training upon Clark.

"Not exactly, because you can also look at it as I can't beat you and you can't loose. So In a way, I guess we both win." Clark concluded with an amused look on his face that then broke into a wide smile at his blonde cousin.

Groaning to this conclusion that Clark had made, Kara rolled her eyes. "Fine. Whatever. We both win." She agreed while throwing her hands up again dramatically and walked over towards the old weathered windmill having to pass Clark as she did. Clark turned and followed after her, a bit curious as to how she was going to show him just how strong she was. Kara stopped just under the windmill and stared out passed the small groves of wild trees that bordered the backside of the pasture and laid eyes upon a very familiar city she knew all to well. _Metropolis. I really hope you guys are close to finding Sinestro and a way home for us. _Sighing, Kara tore her eyes away from the large city in the distance and looked over at Clark, who was standing beside her and looking out at the far away Metropolis. "So how do you propose we go about this whole strength test?"

Clark looked away from Metropolis in the distance and stared over at his cousin. "Good question. I hadn't really thought about that." He replied. "Maybe the only way we can find out is if we use our super powers against each other." Clark suggested as now an idea was starting to form in his head about this.

"What, like an arm wrestling contest? Clark come on, that's like totally…well it might work." Kara recanted herself a moment as she started thinking about this idea as well. It sounded simple enough. How else were they going to see who was in fact the stronger of the two if not by such a simple contest of strength as arm wrestling? "How about we try out a different version of an arm wrestling contest? Same concept except we won't be actually arm wrestling."

"Sounds a bit confusing, but okay." Clark agreed while turning to face Kara all the way as she did the same. "How do we do this?"

Kara grinned. "Okay, put your hands out like this." She instructed while stepping back and then held her arms straight out with her palms facing Clark. Clark followed her example and did the same thing; taking a step back and then held his own arms out with palms facing her. "Now, we step forward and lock hands." Kara stepped forward as did Clark and the two locked hands with fingers intertwined to do so. "On three we start pushing against each other with everything we got. The first to get the other to completely bend their elbows wins." She stated with a smile at the end of her instruction. "Got it?"

"Now that made more sense then that first explanation of yours." Clark answered while still getting in a jab at her in tease. His little quip got a shake of Kara's head and roll of her eyes to which he just grinned at. "Am I counting or you?"

"We'll both count just so it's fair." Kara stated while raising an accusing eyebrow at him in reminder of his little stunt back in the roadside field after lunch at the Luthor mansion. Clark chuckled a bit at this but agreed anyways.

Both teens started the count aloud at the same time – "One, two, three!"

And on three, the two Kryptonian survivors started to push against each other's own force of strength in response to the other. For a while it seemed like it was going to be a stand still of sorts until Kara started to push Clark's arms away from herself bending his elbows just enough to actually show that she might just overpower him. Seeing this, at first startled Clark and had him wondering if his cousin was possibly stronger than him. For a solid minute and half the side of favor rested with Kara as she managed to move Clark's arms yet again but not enough to count for something. As the stand still continued on a moment longer it stated to become evident to both teens that they were evenly matched. _I'm as strong as you were when you were my age Kal. I guess this means one day I'll be as strong as you are now back home. _A small grin flickered over Kara's face as she thought quietly to herself upon such a fascinating discovery as the one she had just made.

Clark seemed to have caught the sudden grin that appeared on his cousin's face as he gave her a smirk of his own. "Looks like we're at another draw." He commented while still pushing against her strength.

"I guess it is. But that doesn't mean I'm giving up just yet." Kara replied while still pushing back at Clark. "Unless that is, you wanna give up first." She stated while raising an eyebrow at the same time in emphasis to her suggestion.

"You first cousin." Clark retorted while that smirk remained still on his face as he spoke.

This seemed to be a cue of sorts, as both gave one final try in which they put every bit of their strength into this little game and then ended up shoving each other backwards. The two teens stumbled a bit but managed to keep themselves up on their feet for the most part while staring across at each other. A sudden silence came upon them and then immediately broke as they started to laugh at the ending of their game/test/competition. "Well, again we're at a draw." Kara pointed out the obvious and then slyly grinned as something dawned on her at that moment. Folding her arms across her chest, Kara started to float off the ground until she at a good three feet off.

Clark stared up at his cousin in a sort of awe as he watched just hover there like it was nothing that spectacular in the first place. "How are you able to do that?" he asked while stepping closer to her.

Kara raised a brow to this while slowly coming back down to earth and touched ground. "What do you mean 'how am I able to do that'? Can't you fly?" she asked while closing the gap between her and Clark so she only stood a few feet from him now. The fact that his facial expression dropped a bit and he seemed to be avoiding eye contact now, gave Kara all the answers that she needed to know. "You can't fly yet." She murmured partially to herself while dropping her arms to her side. "Clark, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to –"

"No, it's fine Kara. Anyways, it's probably a good thing I can't do that." He stated while giving her a rather sheepish grin. "I'm afraid of heights."

"Are you serious!" Kara asked as her eyes went rather wide to hear something like that coming from her cousin. "You? You're afraid of heights?" she repeated while still trying understand that concept at the same time. _He's afraid of heights? How is that even possible!_ As Kara was trying to figure this all out, somehow she managed to catch the rather depressed look that was slowly starting to make its way across Clark's face. A pang of guilt hit the Girl of Steel as she realized just how embarrassed he must be having admitted to something like that to her and it didn't seem to help as she nearly berated him with questions right after that. Kara mentally scolded herself before dropping her gaze a bit in a sort of shame. _Nice going Kara. You just made your cousin feel completely stupid for having a fear in the first place. So now what are you going to do genius? _

Clark had partially kept his gaze on the blonde before him and noticed the way in which she seemed to be punishing herself for what she had said. Clearing his throat a bit in distraction, Clark turned himself towards Metropolis and then seated himself down on the grassy pasture ground. Kara's gaze flickered over to him as she noticed that he had moved, and then became a bit curious as to why he had sat down. Stepping over a space, Kara then followed suit and sat down as well next to him and stared out at Metropolis. The two sat in silence like this for a while, just staring at the city while a thousand different things passed through their minds as they sat there. Thoughts of home ran through Kara's mind as she wondered if the other Justice League members were looking for them at that moment or if their disappearance had been even known yet to them. If they knew, then just how distressed was he over her disappearance? At night Kara would wake up suddenly with a rather unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach. She could only guess that it was homesickness and she was more than likely right. When the feeling became too much after waking up, Kara would sneak out her bedroom window and fly over to the barn where she would hide out in the loft for a while to just sit there and think. A midnight flight out over Smallville didn't seem appropriate unless she was dressed as Supergirl. In those times when she would sit there in the loft, Kara would think about what her cousin would do if he were in her position at that very moment. _Everything I do, every choice I make, and every time I go out to save the day; I think about what you would do Kal. What would Superman do in this situation if he were here right now? We're the only family we have, and you're the only role model I've had in my life in how I should live it here on this new home planet of Earth. You taught me how to control my powers and how to use them for good. You taught me everything I know._

Kara sighed quietly and brought her knees up so that way she could fold her arms across their tops and rest her chin on a small perch. Apparently her sigh caught Clark's attention as he glanced over at her for a moment. There were still a lot of questions he wanted to ask her, but he was still a bit unsure whether or not he should. When they had first met she introduced herself as Kara Zor-El of Krypton, which meant that Clark wasn't alone after all. There was another survivor and Kara was it. After all they both shared the same powers, the same planet of origin, what else could that all mean other than he wasn't the sole survivor of Krypton's destruction? What's more, Kara was a superhero and she seemed to have total control over her abilities and used them publicly as Supergirl to save and protect. Clark could only imagine the freedom she must feel in being able to use her powers like that without being afraid of what people thought about her and how they would treat her in return. So far everyone in Smallville saw her as hero who had shown up almost out of nowhere and started saving the day, and Clark couldn't see why they wouldn't. _Something deep down though tells me there's more to learn about her, but I don't know what. Even still, I have someone to look too for answers…I have someone who makes the loneliness of being different just go away. _Clark smiled lightly while looking towards Metropolis again. This was nice. Just sitting here with Kara and doing or saying nothing. Wait…no… he wasn't feeling some sort of physical attraction to her or anything like that. There was an attraction to her, but it was on a completely different level that was completely opposite from the attraction he had towards Lana. His attraction to her was more like one for a role model but it also seemed to run deeper than that. _She's like family in a way. After John and Wally left for Metropolis, Kara just seemed to fit right in around here. It's like I have a sister in Kara, someone I can go too when who I am gets frustrating and I need someone to talk too. She understands better than anyone how I feel. _

"You know when I first learned that I could fly, it scared me." Kara suddenly spoke up while still staring forward even as Clark looked over at her with a rather surprised look on his face. Catching his expression from the corner of her eye, Kara looked over at him with a bit of a furrowed brow. "What?"

"Nothing, it's just that…I never thought that someone like you could be afraid." Clark replied. " I guess now I understand a little better abut what Chloe told me one time." He added in while adjusting the way he was sitting a bit. "How did you learn that you had the ability to fly in the first place?" he asked in hopes of learning more about his own powers through Kara.

Kara shook her head before speaking. "I was trying to run away from the police in Gotham City after I accidentally set one of the squad cars on fire with newly discovered heat vision." She explained while grinning a bit as she could see the humor in the whole accidental thing. "From what I understand Krypton had a greater pull of gravity that was way stronger than earth's. Because of that, the people of Krypton were naturally born with the ability to walk around normally with such an intense gravity pull. The ability to fly and leap a tall building in a single bound is a result of the fact that we live here on earth now. Oh, that and the sun acts like a super charger for our cells which absorb the energy…and…I just totally confused you didn't I?" Kara asked while grinning over at her cousin who seemed totally lost in what she was trying to explain.

"Pretty much yeah." Cark answered while grinning as well. "But I think I understand what you're saying. Who told you all of this?" he asked as a new question of course had come to mind.

"I don't think that's something I should really be telling you Clark." Kara replied while realizing that she had more than likely said more than she should have. "I'm sorry." Her face held an apologetic look that Clark could only smile sympathetically at.

"It's fine. I don't completely understand why, but I think to a degree I can." He replied while reaching over and resting a hand on her shoulder to give it a squeeze. "Knowing that there's someone else from Krypton here on earth just makes being different a lot easier to handle."

A warm smile started across Kara's face at this. She knew that Clark had always felt s alone for most of his life even with the friends and family he had here on earth, and she also knew how much she changed his life when her space ship finally came crashing down into the Gotham harbor. A family had been reunited, and a sense of loneliness was gone from his life and Kara's after finding each other. And to know that now she as giving him that same feeling all over again without actually telling him outright that they were blood related cousins, it helped that home sickness sink away and not bother her so much as it had been. "You're welcome Clark." Kara stated while leaning over to him and giving her cousin a hug to which he returned right back to her. When the two parted, Kara held a new smile on her face. One of mischief. "So, have you ever wondered what it feels like to fly?" she asked coyly while bringing her knees up closer to her chest.

This caught Clark a bit off guard and the fact that Kara was acting the way she was at the moment, it had Clark wondering what she had up her sleeve. Giving his cousin a suspicious look and leaning back a bit to get a better look at her. "Something tells me you have something else in mind rather than just getting an answer out of me." He implied while trying to see if he could tell what Kara was thinking at that moment in her head.

An impish grin crossed her face at that moment as she suddenly jumped up to her feet and then offered down a hand to Clark. "Do you trust me?" she asked and then waited for his reply. If he said 'yes' then they were both in for a rather interesting outing, and if he said 'no' then they were going to be sitting in the pasture for the rest of the day with Kara wondering if he really did trust her as she thought he did.

However, whatever worries or doubts she had were erased as Clark placed his hand in hers and then stood up as well. "Yeah, I trust you Kara." He replied as her hand grip tightened just a bit about his own. "Just promise me it won't be too high or too fast…that is if you're going to d what I think you're going to do." Clark stated while trying not to allow his fear of heights to get the better of him at that moment.

Kara grinned at him while taking a step closer to him. "I promise. Edge of Smallville away from Metropolis and back." She explained while looking over her shoulder and pointing with her free hand. Looking back at Clark she raised a brow in question. "So, you're sure you want to go through with this? I mean if you really don't want to…" Kara trailed off a bit in hesitation just to see if Clark was having second thoughts before they took off.

"I'll be fine…I think." Clark replied but then shook his head. "But like I said, I trust you." He stated while giving his cousin a nervous grin. "Anything I should know before we lift off?" he asked.

"Uh, don't let go?" Kara gave him wrinkling her brows in a sort of puzzlement that had Clark giving her a look that had her quickly taking back her joke. "Sorry, I didn't mean to freak you out. There's really nothing that you need to worry about." She assured him as her feet started to lift off the ground. "Just trust me." Kara had come off the ground to the point where she couldn't go any further as her hand held on to Clark's, and he was still on the ground.

Clark's arm was held up high and at its limit as he stared up at the blonde Kryptonian girl who stared back down at him, waiting. Heights scared him, but for some reason right now his fear wasn't taking a hold of him as he thought it would be with the promise of being airborne in a few short seconds. With a nod of his head in reply to Kara, Clark soon found himself high above the ground holding on to the one thing that was keeping him that way. They hovered over twenty feet from the ground as Kara wanted to make sure Clark was okay so far. "Wow, this feels…weird."

"Trust me, it won't be a weird feeling for to long." Kara replied while giving him a quick grin before looking up at he further levels of sky above them and in classic manner, took her free right hand with hand closed, and pointed it up above her.

In a sudden rush of air Clark found himself traveling further up into the sky at a somewhat quick speed that wasn't freaking him out too bad, but it did cause him to take a tighter grip on Kara's hand as they soon were a mile or so off the ground now and still climbing. Kara reached a desired height that had them staring down at the green cow pasture with the old windmill looking near like a toy now from the height they had reached, and here she stopped a moment to check on how Clark was doing. With only a weak grin to her in gesture, Clark was soon flying forward towards the limits of Smallville going away from Metropolis. It was an easy flight at first so that way Clark could get used to the whole defying the laws of gravity thing, and then Kara started to pick up the speed. During the whole event Kara had kept her hand holding Clark's retracted close to her side so that he had a sense of ease as they went, but as they had now reached a speed of fifty-five miles an hour, Kara looked over at him. The wind was blowing their back out of their faces as they traveled and for the first time, Clark experienced a sense of freedom that he never knew while soaring through the air alongside his cousin. A smile had formed on his face as they continued to fly and as he stared into the boundless sea of blue and spots of white, Clark noticed out the corner of his eye that Kara was looking over at him. As the two made eye contact, Kara started to slowly extended her arm out so that way Clark was becoming a bit more separated from her side while still holding on to him.

At first it seemed a bit shaky to find himself being pushed from her side, but when their arms were fully extended and Clark found himself just flying through the air, all worry, dread, fear, terror, and anything else he had been feeling was immediately gone as he flew over Smallville like bird or plane. A huge amount of various feelings were now rushing through him all at once, and the only way Clark felt that he could express them was to simply give a shout of total joy and elation as he returned his attention forward to watch their journey through the air. Kara grinned at this and also soon turned her attention forward. The two teens remained at the same level and speed all the way to the end of Smallville's county line, and that was when Kara pulled Clark in a bit close as she then guided the both of them down towards the earth at an angle to which they touched ground feet first in an open field of tall grass. As soon as they touched ground, Clark found that he had to take a few running steps forward to make sure he didn't go tumbling head long as Kara released his hand, and then whirled about to smile broadly at his cousin.

"Kara, that was amazing!" he exclaimed excitedly while coming right up to her and grabbing her by the shoulders. "Scary, but it was still amazing!" Clark grinned while releasing his cousin and standing back from her.

"I know." Kara agreed while looking up into the sky. "When I'm up there, it feels like everything down here is so small compared to how big and endless it is up there." Kara explained while looking down from the heavens and returned back to Clark. "A sense of freedom." She added in while giving him a warm smile.

Clark smiled back at her and then allowed his face to take a semi-serious look for a moment. "But that doesn't mean I'm over being afraid of heights." He pointed out before his look was lost behind another giant smile that swept across his handsome face. Kara laughed at this and Clark joined in for a moment until it ended, after which he gave the blonde teen a rather warm smile of thanks as he stared at her. "Thanks Kara."

"For what?" she asked while cocking her head to the side a bit as she was genuinely curious as to why she was being thanked by him.

"Well, mainly for that completely new experience, but also for everything else you've done since showing up here in Smallville with John and Wally." Clark answered while sticking his hands within the pockets of his tan corduroy jacket.

Kara stared at Clark for a moment in silent though while a faint smile was creeping up on the corners of her mouth again. "You're welcome." She replied while giving a small nod of the head in accompaniment to what she had said. "However, I think it is time we returned home as I believe dinner will be served when we arrive." She joked. "Foot race?" she asked while turning around into the direction that the farm lay in.

Clark shook his head while stepping up next to her side. "You just won't be satisfied until we find a winner in all this, will you?" he asked as they got into position.

"What are you kidding me? I don't live for a tie." Kara returned and then started the countdown to one for their race.

As they raced off across Smallville to beat the other one home, it was then that is was seen rather clearly. There had been a reversal of role models between the two Kent teens.


	9. Lines Are Drawn

**Author's note: This entire story start to finish takes place somewhere after the end of the second season of Smallville and before the end of the third season. I know there were a few references made in the first chapter or two to which it seemed as though this takes place during or after the fourth season. That was mainly because I myself was unsure as to when I wanted this story to take place. I know this may have confused some of my readers and I apologize for that. However, I also want to thank all of you who have submitted reviews and read my Smallville fan fiction. **

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Chapter Nine

Lines Are Drawn

"Chloe for the last time," Kara stated while ending a spin she had started in one of the several computer chairs in the Torch to face the other blonde teen. "I do not remember anything I talked about with Bruce Wayne, other than just exchanging our names." She gave her friend a semi-stern expression while crossing her arms over her chest.

Chloe looked out from behind the computer she was working on and gave her the beginnings of a puppy dog pout, to which Kara just shook her head at and continued the stern facial expression. "Oh alright, fine! Subject dropped." Chloe announced while pulling back behind the computer.

Kara rolled herself over to the side of the desk and came to a stop just there by using her hand as a brake against the desktop. "For good or for the moment?" she asked while giving Chloe a look and raised brow. Chloe gave her a rather guilty look to this question. "You know Chloe, all good reporters know when it's better to stop a dead end chase of one story and start up on a new one. You know like for example, leave me and the whole Bruce Wayne thing alone and start bugging Lex about that semi that nearly turned you into a tire ornament last week." Kara suggested with a small grin appearing on her face at the end.

This caused Chloe to start laughing a bit while she tried to focus on the work she was doing with her computer. "Lex is more or less pulling a you right now as well. The last few interviews I've done, he's said the same thing in statement." She explained while clicking on a document and dragging it over to drop within another.

"Really?" Kara asked in a sarcastic manner while at the same time badly acting surprised. "How strange." She commented absent mindedly while placing her left index finger against her chin. "Now what will ace reporter Chloe Sullivan do for a story?" she teased as Chloe shot her a look that was all but amused. "Oh come on, you know I'm just playing with you." Kara laughed while swinging herself and the chair around so that way she was sitting beside Chloe and staring at the computer screen as well. The image on it and the document that Chloe had dropped in alongside it had Kara giving an amused nod to it. "Wow, you work fast on recovering from having story deprived matters." Kara stated while glancing over at her friend.

Chloe looked over at her with a grin. "Well I figured for now I can put all my energy into finding out more about our mysterious caped wonder here in Smallville until either you or Lex finally cracks." She replied while receiving a playful shove from Kara in response. "Actually, I haven't been able to find a single picture of Supergirl yet, so I figured I'd have one of the art students draw up that symbol she wears on her chest and cape."

"The S-shield?" Kara mused in question while studying the drawing on the computer screen. It was pretty good and almost completely accurate in detail. The red S at the center of a yellow field background; it was almost as if she were looking at the page of the _Daily Planet _from back home when they ran articles about Superman and later on her as well. After all, when you're introduced to the world as the cousin to the Man of Steel, a large amount of press is run about you. And especially when your cousin's wife happens to be a reporter for the _Daily Planet_ as well.

"Is that what it's called?" Chloe asked as she gave her friend a curious glance. "How do you know that Kara?"

The blonde froze a moment and then looked over at Chloe with a blank face that showed she was at a loss for words at that moment. "Well, it's an S." she started out in explanation slowly. "And it's in the frame of what looks to be a shield, so I just figured that…that's what it could be referred to as." Kara stated quickly with a nod. "Yeah. I mean, it makes sense…doesn't it?" she asked while giving Chloe a somewhat nervous grin.

For a moment Chloe studied her with an unsure look on her face that Kara couldn't read at the moment. A smile cracked across Chloe's face suddenly as she nodded in agreement with what Kara had just explained. "That sounds like a great idea. The S-shield. That sounds perfect for it." Chloe stated while quickly going in and changing the heading of the article from – **The Caped Crusader of Smallville**, to a more suitable heading of – **The S-shield of Smallville. **

This had Kara giving a sigh of relief in her mind. The last thing she needed to do right no was steal a nickname from Batman unintentionally. Chloe finished proof reading the article quickly and then saved it to the computer before printing it out for arrangement in the next edition of the Torch. Getting up from her computer chair, Chloe headed over to the printer while Kara leaned over to read some of the article Chloe had written up on Supergirl. Whether it was bad press or good press, Kara was always interested to seeing what people had to say about her and the things she did. After the printer spat out the needed copy of the document, Chloe snatched it out of the tray and turned around to see Kara reading the computer screen contents.

"Ah! Kara! You can't read it yet." Chloe stated while hurrying over to close the document, only to find that Kara had grabbed the mouse to keep her from doing so.

"No, wait I just want to finish reading it." Kara protested as Chloe tried to wrestle the mouse out of her hand as she still continued to read.

Chloe finally managed to get the mouse back and then clicked the document closed quickly. "Geez, you got about a strong a grip as Clark does." Chloe commented while sitting down in her chair. "The last time I had to wrestle a mouse out of someone's hand it went a lot faster than that." She stated while raising a brow at the look that was appearing on Kara's face. "What's wrong?"

Kara looked over at Chloe with a knit brow and confused look on her face. "You think Supergirl is someone just affected by meteor rocks turned vigilante?" she asked with a sting of hurt building up within her.

"Well after everything that's happened in Smallville after the meteor shower, I can't help but think that. Either that or I can only assume she's an alien or something." Chloe explained herself while fingering the paper in her hand. "I mean seriously Kara, no human being can stand in front of an out of control semi truck and just hold it back with their bare hands until it stops completely. Or catch bullets in their hand and not even be scratched by them. That and the girl acts like the laws of gravity don't even exist at all." She pointed out in further explanation on her part. "I mean just ask Pete or Lana, and they might just say the same thing. When something like this comes up in Smallville it usually has something to do with the meteor rocks."

Kara sighed in defeat and then gave her a hopeful look. "So do you think she's a superhero?" she asked hesitantly in hopes that maybe she wouldn't look to odd to Chloe after all this.

"Are you kidding me? Who else but a superhero would put themselves in danger just to protect people like me from getting run over by a truck or shot at by bank robbers." Chloe stated in a rather excited tone of voice. "I mean she's just awesome. The fact she's also blonde like us makes me have high hopes that all those blonde jokes will end now." She laughed while getting up from her chair and turned the computer off as well. "Come on, I told Clark I'd have you returned by four at the Talon."

"Oh, right." Kara said as she remembered that they were supposed to meet her cousin. Getting up, Kara started to help Chloe turn off the other computers in the Torch.

Chloe headed over to a computer on the other side of the room to turn it off. As she waited for the main menu to come up, Chloe debated with herself whether or not she should bring up a question she had been pondering over for a while now. Shaking her head as Chloe made up her mind. "Hey Kara, do you mind if I ask you a question?" she asked while looking over her shoulder to the blonde who was turning off a computer screen. The look on the girl's face had Chloe grinning a bit before she dove into further explanation. "It has nothing to do with Bruce Wayne." She assured her while looking back to computer as the computer shut down command popped up. "But it does have something to do with another certain billionaire play boy."

This had Kara glancing up from another computer she had moved herself over to. "Who?" she asked as of course this statement had momentarily thrown her off track for the moment.

"Well unless you know another billionaire that I haven't heard of yet, I'm referring to Lex Luthor. You know, your cousin's best friend." Chloe stated while walking across the room to grab her bag off the table at the center. When Kara gave a nod of understanding to this along with a sheepish grin to what she had said, Chloe only grinned again. "I've been wondering about something since we were at the hospital last week." Chloe started. "Do you like Lex?" she asked finally while slinging her bag over her shoulder.

Kara wrinkled her brow a bit at this as she was a bit unsure of what Chloe meant by it. "What, you mean as a friend? Yeah I guess." She answered while grabbing her jean jacket from the coat rack near the door as she had finished turning off the last computer.

Chloe shook her head to this. "No, I meant do you like Lex, as in I'm pretty sure I saw you flirting with him at the hospital that day." Chloe explained so that way Kara now understood where she was coming from.

"What! No, I wasn't flirting with Lex." Kara protested as the idea sounded rather ludicrous to her upon hearing it.

A suspicious brow was lifted on Chloe's face to this accompanied with a speculative look. "Okay, don't bite my head off." She stated while grabbing her own jacket off the coat rack near the door so they could leave. "Look Kara, I wasn't saying that you were outright flirting with Lex. I'm just saying that maybe you should be careful when you're around him, because it looks like you're unintentionally flirting with him." Chloe stated while stopping at the door of the Torch. She gave her friend a concerned look that was meant for all the best intentions.

Sighing a bit, Kara just gave Chloe a small smile while passing out the door. "Thanks Chloe, I'll try and remember that." She said while her smile became a broader grin. "Because if I don't, then I might end up back on your most wanted list as having some sort of relationship with a billionaire play boy just because I accidentally have conversations with them." Kara said before snaking her head out of the doorway in a comedic gesture that had Chloe laughing out loud while shutting the lights off and closing the Torch door.

The two girls headed out of the school towards the student parking lot where Chloe's VW Bug was parked. Chloe tossed her bag into the car first and then pulled her suede jacket on before getting in. After both buckled up, Chloe started up the car and pulled out of the parking space to leave the school grounds. "Oh, Kara, I need to make a stop real quick before we head to the Talon." Chloe announced while fishing a manila file folder from the side panel of her car door. Pulling it out, Chloe handed the folder over to her friend while pulling up to a stop sign and made a right hand turn.

Kara took the file. "I don't mind." She stated while holding the file up as she spoke. "Can I have a look, or is it like totally top secret?" she asked in a tease with a grin crossing her face. When Chloe shook her head in response to the fact that she didn't mind, Kara flipped the file open and found some rather obscure and unusually photos inside. "What are these?" Kara asked while glancing over at Chloe, and also took note of where they were headed. Chloe was taking them out away from the downtown area of Smallville.

"Those would be photos people have submitted to me of what they claimed to be images of Supergirl flying through the skies over Smallville." Chloe explained while keeping her eyes on the road. "But I doubt it, because even though they're obscured and blurry, they don't show any real recognition to what they claim to be. So I'm headed over to a friend's house who does work with enhancing and scratching photos to see if he can do something with these or not." Chloe took her eyes off the road for a moment to look over at Kara.

That small moment was all it took as Kara looked forward in time to see a silver bullet of a car came racing down the road ahead of them and driving in their lane. "Chloe watch out!" Kara cried while pointing ahead through the window shield.

The blonde driver looked forward and gave a short cry as she yanked the wheel to the far right in order to avoid a head on collision with the on coming vehicle that showed no regard for the red bug it was coming down on. The sudden jerk to the wheel sent the red bug screeching off to the shoulder where the front tire hit a deep divot in the road and sent the car into a sideways flip. The violent motion slammed Chloe forward against her seatbelt but it didn't keep her from smacking her forehead against the steering wheel. The blow knocked her unconscious immediately, while Kara was thrown forward against her seatbelt as the car continued with its flip then hit the ground to only bounce off and start another flip right for a telephone pole. Time seemed to suddenly slow down around Kara as she kicked her super speed into high gear. As she moved faster than the actual event going on around her, Kara unbuckled her seatbelt and then leaned over as the car was on its side in the air going into its second flip. Reaching over across Chloe she got her seatbelt unbuckled and then grabbed her in a hug before kicking the window shield out with her foot, smashing the glass into a million little pieces. In a push off the floor of the car, Kara flew out of the broken window and streaked off to the side. As she came to a stop just at the shoulder of the road, the fast pace she was moving at ended and the red bug flipped the second time to then wrap itself around the telephone pole with the roof hitting first.

Kara set Chloe down on the ground and then huddled over her in a shield with her back towards the telephone pole's direction as the car exploded on impact. A flying piece of twisted metal came slicing through the air straight for Kara's back. The piece hit the blonde Kryptonian dead on, only instead of killing her like it would any other normal person, the piece bent against her back before bouncing off and shooting back to where it came from only to land a few feet from the blazing inferno that had flared up at the telephone lines. Kara looked back over her shoulder to see the mess that had been a car just few short seconds ago before it was run off the road. The fires that the explosion caused were now hitting the electrical box attached to the pole, causing it to spark and pop. Without warning the pole cracked where the car had hit and started to topple over with the lines snapping as it went down. Seeing this, Kara streaked over to the area and held her hands up over her head as the pole came down and caught it at an angle. The wires danced with live electricity and proved to be a new danger. Thinking quickly, Kara started to walk forward under the pole pushing it back up into its rightful place. Stepping into the blazing fire that surrounded the base, Kara was unaffected by the intense heat as she held the pole in place with one hand and reached out with her other to grab a piece of metal off the burning hull of the car. Snapping the piece free that made up the frame, Kara held it against the break in the telephone pole and then with a deep in take of breath, she exhaled a gale force like wind that put the blaze out as if it had been a match flame.

With no more flames in the way of things, Kara focused on the metal beam in her hand and activated her heat vision. The two beams of intense red heat started to weld the metal to the wood of the pole so that it was securely fastened. That done, Kara easily pushed the metal beam around the rest of the pole and then brought the end to touch where it had started and welded it together with her heat vision to secure it safely until the electrical company came out to replace it. The dancing wires were another problem and Kara knew this as one of the sparking bare ends snapped up and struck her against the face. She flinched a little at the fact that something came up to hit her, but nothing happened when it touched. Looking up at the electrical box, Kara used her x-ray vision to see inside of it for the main power breaker to cut the power to the lines. Locating the small piece inside the white box in the negative vision she was using, Kara held her x-ray vision as her heat vision shot from her eyes and burrowed through the metal shell and pierced the piece that needed to die. Immediately the lines stopped sparking and dancing around dangerously, but this also meant that a small portion of Smallville would be affected with a power outage. _They can deal with it. _Kara stated to herself while then zipping back over to the still unconscious Chloe who was lying on the ground. Looking her over quickly to make sure nothing was broken or dislocated, Kara looked away from her hurt friend and stared down the road that they had come from and that the car had gone in. Focusing hard, Kara was able to see not one but two cars some now fifteen miles or more away with her super vision. Something told her that this whole thing wasn't just some accident as neither car had come back to check on them.

Kara placed a hand on Chloe's forehead to move aside some stray bangs that were hiding a cut underneath them. It didn't look terribly bad, but the fact that Chloe was out cold worried her. Reaching into Chloe's jacket pocket, Kara fished out her cell phone and started to punch in the numbers for 9-1-1 to call them out to the scene of the accident, but just as the last one was hit the cell phone died on her. "Dammit!" Kara spat while looking down at her friend and then down the road. Supergirl was needed for both these situations and there wasn't another JLA member to take one of the two problems.

Without a single thought of hesitation, Kara grabbed Chloe in her arms and held her in a bridal style position. There wasn't time to make sure that no one was around to see Kara use her abilities outside her Supergirl identity and Kara knew this as she launched herself into the air quickly and flew off towards the Smallville Medical Center. Her traveling speed was only as fast as she knew Chloe could handle unconscious. She didn't want something else happening to her on the way there because of what she was doing to get her help.

In only a minute flat, Supergirl was touching down before the front doors of the hospital and surprising everyone coming and going out, as well as those driving by in their cars. Walking straight in with Chloe still unconscious in her arms, Supergirl was met by several nurses who saw her enter with the girl.

"What happened?" One asked while another went to grab the nearest stretcher.

"There was a car accident out on Avenue 9. I got her out of the car but she's unconscious." Supergirl quickly explained as a stretcher was brought over. Laying Chloe down on it, Supergirl stepped back as a nurse stepped in to quickly check her over before the rushed her off to emergency just to make sure, as they took all car accident related cases very seriously and especially when a patient was knocked out. Before the last nurse could leave, Supergirl caught him by the arm to get his attention. "Call the sheriff and tell her abut the accident on Avenue 9 and there was no one else hurt." She nearly ordered in a serious tone of voice.

The male nurse nodded. "Where are you going?" he asked as he could tell that the blonde hero was ready to take off.

"To chase after the person who caused the accident." Supergirl replied before releasing his arm and disappearing in a fleeting blur of red out the hospital doors.

Back in the air, Supergirl rocketed back to Avenue 9 and continued on following after the two cars. She didn't know what was going on, but Supergirl knew they needed to be stopped before someone else got hurt like Chloe. In just a matter of seconds Supergirl had caught up to the racing cars and fell in sync with the back car's speed. This car was black, more than likely a Lexus model from the shape, and just only feet from the rear end of an all too familiar Porsche that Supergirl knew. The back license plate that read **LEX 1** was a dead give away. Someone was chasing after Lex and he had been the one who forced Chloe off the road. Supergirl continued to follow over the black car as the sped down the back roads of Smallville at an excess of nearly ninety miles an hour. In the next moment the black car gained on the silver Porsche and bumped the back fender. _Whoa! These guys aren't playing nice at all. _Supergirl focused in on the car's roof and saw through the metal, peering in on two men seated at the front with a gun in hand. Ending the negative like vision, Supergirl knew this had to be stopped before something really bad happened, even out here in a more isolated area of farmland. Pulling off to the right of the car, Supergirl lowered herself down to window level and looked in on the two men. They were both middle-aged, of Asian decent, and looked mean to say the least. Reaching out her hand, she tapped on the window, catching the passenger's attention.

Looking over, he just stared with rather wide eyes at the blonde girl flying parallel with the car and traveling at the same speed. Supergirl gave him a scowl before rising up over the car again and then shot forward faster than both cars. The passenger looked over at the driver who was oblivious to what just happened. "We have a serious problem." He stated flatly while the pale expression of shock still remained on his face.

Supergirl passed up both cars at a speed faster then what they were traveling at so that she was a good twenty miles ahead of them when she did an aerial back flip and spun around to fly straight back towards the two cars that were coming at her at the same high speed they had been traveling at. Supergirl came flying low, at roof height to the cars, only being seen as a quickly passing figure that just skimmed the top of Lex's car and caught his attention as he leaned forward to try and see what it was he had seen flying at him and then pass on. Time slowed again around Supergirl as she came down at angle just as she reached the back end of Lex's car, a fist clenched and pulled back before she threw it forward at the second car. Her white-gloved hand came down just at the center of the car hood, also at an angle, and punched right through the metal cover. Her hand dug deep right into the engine block where fist unclenched and her fingers bit into the solid titanium. In real time, the two men in the black car only saw a blur coming at them over the top of the silver Porsche before a sudden and heavy impact struck down upon the car hood and sent the car flipping forward from the force. As the car flipped over Supergirl, her arm extending up and following, her hand retracted from under the car hood pulling out with it the entire engine. In Supergirl's super time speed, the car continued on with its upside down fall to earth while she used her free hand to reach backwards and catch the bumper. The two men inside the car had been screaming since the car was flipped and had their hands up over their faces as if that would shield them from the horrible death they were about to receive.

However, it didn't come, as the car never hit the ground. Supergirl had it lifted off the ground with only one hand, as it had been ready to slam down on all four tires. The metal that made up the car creaked and groaned while it just hung there for a moment Supergirl finally set the vehicle down; it was still facing the same direction it had been driving in. The car set down with a rocky jolt but nothing horrible for the most part. The two Chinese men inside dropped their arms and started looking around for an explanation as to what had just happened, only to watch with wide-eyed expressions as Supergirl came floating down out of the sky to land just in front of their car which had a huge gaping hole in the hood as if something had been pulled out. After a moment of silence, well not complete silence as the radiator hissed and stem was rising out from around the hood and through the hole, the two men suddenly whipped their guns up and pointed them at Supergirl with every intention of pulling the trigger.

"You really want to do that?" she asked while lifting up the engine block she still had clamped in her hand as if it were just pillow or empty cardboard box, and then tossed it on to the hood where it sunk back through the hole and dropped out the bottom in one large crash. Both men dropped their guns. Supergirl only twitched an amused eyebrow up for a brief moment.

Lex had slammed on the brakes when he saw the black car flip forward. The screech of his tires didn't go unnoticed by Supergirl, but she was busy at the moment with ripping the car engine out of the car itself. Once his Porsche had stopped, Lex yanked the emergency brake on as he turned around in his seat to see the black car just hang suspended in the air some four feet off the ground before it was set down and Supergirl came flying over the top of it in a gentle manner while turning about so that when she touched ground she had her back to Lex. His own blue eyes became rather wide as he noticed the large piece of metal that was on her right hand and then became dislodged as she threw it forward at the car. A more than impressive display of inhuman strength, to which it had brought Lex out of his car and just standing there some thirty feet from where Supergirl had put a stop to the whole car chase. He couldn't help but smile at this. She was an amazing woman, with a name that suited her very well, as she was super in the very aspect of the word's use.

Supergirl only shook her head at the two men in the car before the sound of an approaching vehicle at a fast speed caught her attention. Looking over her shoulder, she first noticed Lex standing outside of his car staring at her with a smile, but her blue-eyed gaze fell elsewhere. Another black car was flying up on them and it soon came to screeching halt only to have the passenger come out the rolled down window part way with an RPG mounted on his shoulder and aimed at Lex's car. "No." was all she breathed before turning around and running at Lex who was just now looking back behind himself at the newly arrived car. In a flash Supergirl was over by him just as the RPG was fired, and once again she started moving at super speed in order to save Lex from certain death. The propelled grenade came whistling through the air with a trial of sparks flying out behind it as Supergirl grabbed Lex around the upper chest with her right arm and then pushed off the ground. Right as the RPG hit Lex's car the two were already high up in the air as pieces of the vehicle came spinning up.

Everything had happened so fast that by the time Lex realized that he was up some good twenty-feet in the air and climbing, a piece of his car came slicing up at him, only to be caught by Supergirl's free hand like it was a Frisbee of some kind. Lex's head snapped up to stare at the rather angry blonde who was holding him rather close to her while her left arm was pulled back and then thrown forward sending the piece of metal she had caught back down to earth and right for the back end of the other black car. The piece stabbed through like a knife and pinned the car so that it was now stuck to the road and there was no escape for the guys who had just fired the RPG. Needless to say they thought their task had been accomplished until they heard the slicing of metal and the sudden jerk of their car's back end brought their attention around to see the end of a metal pike sticking out through the trunk. Their gaze turned up into the sky where they spotted a sight that they had never seen before. A blonde haired woman was just hovering there in the sky above them with Lex being held by one arm at her side. The sight scared them beyond belief and the three people who had been in that car took off running as the other two men had long since done after the explosion of the Porsche. Supergirl watched them a moment as they ran off into a nearby cornfield and disappeared.

Lex watched them only momentarily before he realized that he wasn't on the ground and that he was a long way from it. At first it was only Supergirl's arm that held him there, but when he noticed his new position high above the ground far below, Lex freaked and grabbed on to Supergirl with both his arms embracing her like a hug. Supergirl looked over at him and gave him a quizzical look. Lex looked at her with an expression of pure shock, terror, ad something like relief to the fact that it was her holding him up in the sky. "You saved my life." He stated the obvious in an exhale of breath.

"I can see that." Supergirl returned while her face changed expressions to a more passive and blank one. "I'll take you home. It's not safe out here, even with those guys running away through the cornfields." She stated while turning to face the direction in which the mansion lay in.

"Wait, we're flying there?" Lex asked as his grip on Supergirl seemed to tighten at this assumption.

Supergirl looked at him again with a slight furrow in her brow. "Well I'm not going to run and carry you there." She answered and ended the discussion as she then took off towards the mansion at a fast speed, but was careful in just how fast she flew since she was carrying someone else who more than likely wouldn't be able to handle the extreme velocity that she could fly at.

During the whole flight to the Luthor Mansion, Supergirl remained quiet for the most part while just staring ahead. Lex on the other hand was of course holding to the superhero in a near death grip that didn't seem to bother her in the least, but his gaze was focused down below on the ground that was quickly passing by. If he had to guess, Lex figured that they were at least a good mile off the ground now as they were passing over the tops of tall trees. Every once in a while, Lex glanced over at the blonde who held a rather fixated look of thought on her face as she stared ahead. Supergirl was in fact deep in thought, and it all revolved around what the heck was going on with Lex and those guys who tried to annihilate him with a rocket propelled grenade. Within a few minutes the two were coming down to set foot before the doors of the mansion. Supergirl immediately released Lex and he the same. "I doubt there's any way I can thank you for what you did back there." Lex stated while turning so he faced the blonde.

She only inclined her head a bit in response to this while crossing her arms over her chest. "You don't have to try. Superheroes don't pick and choose they're supposed to save." Supergirl stated. "Even if that person was the cause of another car related incident." She said in hint to the fact that the whole chase had run Chloe's car off the road. The mention of this had Lex's face falling in the realization of the guilt hitting him. Before he could say anything, Supergirl held up a hand to stop him. "It's fine, I took care of them." She assured him. "I took Chloe to the hospital before catching up to you."

"That was Chloe I ran off the road?" Lex asked, his face becoming pained with concern as he stepped closer to Supergirl. "How is she? Is she okay?" he asked quickly, wanting to get answers before he headed off to the hospital to check on her.

"She's was unconscious when I arrived and dropped her off at the hospital. The other passenger in the vehicle is fine and conscious." Supergirl answered him in a calm manner in an attempt to keep Lex from panicking any further. Lex only gave her a nod of the head before throwing open the doors of his home and walking in at a brisk pace. _If I don't ask now I won't be able to prevent this from all happening again. _"Why were those men after you Lex?"

Lex paused a moment after having only entered his home half way. As if contemplating whether or not he should answer that question, Lex then slowly turned around and walked back towards the doors were Supergirl still stood. He stopped just before her, a calm but determined look on his face. "You saved three lives today, and I am grateful for that. I really am. But you don't need to get involved with this matter any further." He replied while going to close the doors. "Good day Supergirl." As he closed both doors, Lex found that neither one was moving any further than they already had and this left the house still open. With only his eyes, Lex looked left and then right to see either white-gloved hand holding the doors open by just pressing against them with open palms.

"I became involved the minute you started that little Fast and Furious venture of yours and nearly killed a high school student as a result of that." Supergirl retorted with a very cold tone in her voice as her blue eyes almost narrowed on Lex. "And I won't be told to leave this matter alone because you say to do so. You've only seen part of what I'm capable of Lex. If anyone else gets hurt because of some sick twisted game you're playing against someone else, an RPG hitting your car will be the least of your worries." She stated while keeping her gaze fixated right on Lex with every irritated fiber in her.

"You should know that I don't respond well to threats." Lex stated, his tone of voice not exactly angry in anyway but it was hinting towards a sense of irritation.

Supergirl pulled her hands off either door and stepped up to face Lex, on the second step she was off the ground and towering over Lex by a few inches but was still near close to being in his face. "I don't threaten people Mr. Luthor, I only give warnings. So I suggest you take to heart the one I just gave you." She retorted with an even voice before backing off to the point where she was hovering just near the first step of the front patio. Without another word she started to turn away from Lex while at the same time she shot off into the sky and disappeared into the blue abyss.

Lex watched after her in a state wonder to the fact she was gone in only a few shot seconds. Just like everyone else in Smallville, he couldn't understand how she was able to perform the feats that she had displayed so many times over in just a few weeks since arriving with several other men. She was an enigma to Lex Luthor, and one he wanted to understand as he did have a degree of respect for her and the abilities she held. A sense of guilt was resting on him now after hearing that he had run Chloe off the road and placed her in the hospital. Shaking his head in an inner argument with himself, Lex closed the doors to his home and headed towards the garage.

* * *

It was somewhere around five-thirty in the evening when Chloe finally woke up in the hospital to find that she had a visitor sitting off to the side of her bed in a small cushioned chair by the door. A small smile crossed her face as she noticed who it was, and also because her visitor was apparently asleep. Shifting in her hospital bed for a more comfortable position now, Chloe managed to awake her visitor from the little nap they were taking in the chair. "I didn't mean to wake you up Kara." Chloe stated while giving her friend a small but tired grin.

The blonde shook her head before getting up out of her chair and came to sit down at Chloe's side. "No, it's fine. I was just resting my eyes." She returned while also giving Chloe a smile as well. "How are you feeling?" she asked, her brow was now wrinkling a bit with some worry that hadn't all quite left yet.

"Fine. My head hurts a little, but I think I can manage with a headache." Chloe answered while getting a small laugh out of Kara afterwards. "How about you? I take it you came out better than I did from the accident." She pointed out, as she observed nothing wrong with her friend.

Kara was caught off-guard momentarily by this question, but managed to recover. "Yeah, well you did hit your head on the steering wheel. I just remember blacking out for a moment and then waking up to see Supergirl." Kara explained slowly while keeping her gaze on Chloe the whole time. "From what I heard the doctors and the sheriff saying, she saved us from a really bad car accident."

Chloe made a face to this as something seemed to be confusing her a bit now. "How bad was the accident anyways?" she asked, as something in the pit of her stomach told her that it was pretty bad and more than likely her car died.

"It was pretty bad. Apparently your bug flipped a few times and then wrapped itself around a telephone pole before…exploding on impact." Kara trailed off while wincing slightly at the details she had received from the sheriff early, and knew for a fact first hand. "Chloe I'm sorry."

"Why? It's not your fault Kara. You weren't the maniac driver flying down the wrong lane towards us." Chloe stated while reaching out and patting the side of Kara's arm. "It's so weird how you and Clark are almost the same in the personality department." She grinned while readjusting herself so that way she was now sitting up in bed rather than just laying there. "So, have you heard anything else on the accident?" Chloe asked.

Kara shook her head. "No. All I know is what I've told you." She replied while sighing as a tired smile remained on her face. "But the sheriff seemed pretty steamed when I saw her a few minutes ago." A bit of laugh played on the tip of her words as she spoke, which in turn got Chloe into a more brighter mood than before.

Outside the hospital room, unseen by the two blonde teens inside, Lex stared in at them through the blinds from off to the side with a passive look on his face. Something told him that it wasn't just Chloe who had been in the car when it was run off the road. After all, Supergirl had said that there was another person in the car with Chloe, and for some strange reason Lex was coming to the conclusion that maybe Kara Kent had been with Chloe in the car. As he continued to watch the two girls inside the hospital room, Lex was unaware of the person walking up behind him until a hand was laid upon his shoulder causing him to jump a bit and turn around quickly.

"Whoa, Lex, calm down. It's just me." Clark stated in assurance to his skittish friend. The weak smile that Lex then offered Clark at this had the young man raising a bit of an eyebrow as he could already tell something was up. "You okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine." Lex replied while turning his gaze back into the hospital room where the two girls seemed to be laughing about something. There was still a large amount of guilt weighing upon him with the knowledge of having run these two teens off the road because of something he had gotten himself into by just helping out his own kin. The words of Supergirl still echoed somewhere at the back of his mind. She was mad from the tone of voice she had taken upon speaking with him, and Lex really couldn't blame her for that. "Clark," Lex looked over at his friend, who happened to also be looking in at his cousin and best friend, a look that stated there was something rather important to be said was written across his face.

Clark's brow furrowed a bit as he was slightly confused by the look on his friend's face. "Lex, what's wrong?" he asked.

"I was the one who ran Chloe's car off the road today." Lex stated while the look on his face became dower and near without any real expression aside from faint guilt still lingering in his eyes. "Clark, I didn't do it intentionally." He started in explanation.

Clark gave his friend a skeptical look while shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "Look, Lex, I know you wouldn't run someone off the road like that, but what happened?" he asked while raising an eyebrow as he knew there was going to an explanation he wasn't really going to like on way or another.

Inside the small hospital room, Chloe and Kara had been joking about something when the super hearing of the alien teen picked up the sounds of two male voices outside the room door. However, Kara kept up her conversation with Chloe while listening in on the conversation between her cousin and his friend. She already knew Lex had been the one to run them off the road, but the reason why intrigued her, intrigued Supergirl.

"_Clark you remember my half-brother Lucas, right?"_

"_Yeah, I remember him. Why?"_

"_When I found Lucas in Edge City, he was running from Chinese Mafia members he had cheated in a poker game. Even after all that mess passed between us and our father, those men have yet to forget what happened that night and are out for blood against me for helping my brother get away."_

"_So then, you were being chased by hit men when you ran Chloe off the road?"_

"_And if it wasn't for a certain blonde heroine in a red cape, then things would ended rather badly for everyone. Clark, these guys are not going to stop until they've gotten revenge for the embarrassment that a Luthor has placed on them."_

That was all Kara needed to hear as she returned the other half of her attention back to Chloe who was asking her a question at that moment concerning the photos they had with them in the car. "So, do you think there is any chance those pictures might have survived?" Chloe asked while biting her bottom lip while somewhat hopeful look glimmered a moment on her face.

Kara only gave her friend an apologetic look. "I doubt it." She replied while then looking over at the door of the room as it was now opening. Both Lex and Clark appeared within its frame, the looks on their faces asked if it was okay for them to come in at that point.

"Clark, Lex." Chloe greeted them with a smile on her face as soon as they had opened the door.

"Hey Chloe." Clark returned while giving a grin. "How're you feeling?" he asked while holding a look of care for his friend's health.

Chloe smiled again at Clark. "I'm good. A little dizzy from waking up and being in a major car accident, but I think I'll pull through." She answered while allowing her gaze to drift over to Lex now. Kara's gaze had also come to rest upon Lex's presence there in the room.

Lex didn't have to come around to take notice that the two girls were wondering what he was doing there as he gave Chloe a small smile and then looked to Clark beside him. "Clark, can you and Kara…"

"Sure." Clark nodded while looking over at his blonde cousin.

Kara looked back to Chloe and patted the top of her forearm gently with a smile on her face. "I'll see you later Chloe."

Chloe grinned at her with a nod and then watched as Kara got up off the bedside. Kara walked over to Clark only gave Lex a bit of smile before heading out the door with her cousin in tow. As soon as both Kent teens were outside the room with the door shut, Kara stopped and turned about to look at her dark haired cousin while her arms crossed casually over her chest. "I take it Lex is going to explain to Chloe what happened today." She mused while peering in through the blinds of the window.

Clark gave the blonde Kryptonian teen an amused look. "I don't think it took super hearing for you to guess that." He stated while placing his hands within the pockets of his denim jacket.

"Nope." Kara returned as she watched Lex and Chloe for a moment longer before looking over at her cousin. "Clark, I heard what you and Lex were talking about before you came in." She explained while a serious look started to cross over her face. "If something isn't done now, these guys are going to come back and continue after Lex while putting others like Chloe in danger." Kara stated while stepping closer to Clark to keep their conversation more private from those few passing by in the halls.

"Lex said the guys after him are apart of a Chinese Mafia in Edge City." Clark recited mainly to himself since he knew that Kara had more than likely heard the conversation for herself when it took place. "What happened out on the road after you got Chloe to the hospital?" he asked, that part had yet to be told to him by anyone.

Kara glanced back into Chloe's room before sighing quietly to herself and looked back at Clark. "I caught up to the car chase and put an end to it, but as soon that was done another car pulled up and then there was a rocket, an explosion, and then everyone ran into a cornfield." Kara gave Clark the story in a nutshell quickly before looking over to her left as a nurse passed by. As soon as the nurse was out of earshot, Kara continued on with their conversation. "If I go to Edge City and do something to stop these guys, there might be the misconception that I'm helping the Luthor family out. But if I don't go and do something, then they'll be back in Smallville putting more people like Chloe in danger." The toe of her voice showed the sort of distress Kara was starting to come into.

Out of the corner of his eye, Clark noticed through the window of the hospital room that Lex was getting ready to leave. Setting a hand upon the side of his cousin's arm, Clark guided her away from the room a bit quickly to avoid Lex walking into their conversation. As soon as the cousins were around a corner that led down another hall towards a few more hospital rooms, Clark stopped and then looked through the wall with his x-ray vision to see what Lex was doing. With the negative picture-like sight, Clark watched as Lex came out of the room and then looked about as it was odd to have the Kents missing but then headed off after his phone rang. Clark looked back to his cousin and gave her a small smile. Kara raised a brow for a moment while she knew the reason to their sudden change of location.

"So what are you going to do?" Clark asked now that it was safe to do so.

"I'm not sure Clark. There are times when superheroes shouldn't get involved in certain things, and just let them work out in their own time. But when people on the sidelines get involved when they shouldn't be, then my responsibility to protect those people brings me into all this." Kara explained while allowing her gaze to drift off to the side for a moment before it returned to Clark. Something about the look on his own face had Kara picking up on something she knew needed to be addressed before it was too late. "Look, Clark, I don't think it would be –"

"Kara, I'm not gonna just stand by on the side while you try to figure this out and people get hurt. I'm coming with you to Edge City, Supergirl or not." Clark cut his cousin off before she could say anything against his involvement with this whole situation, a look of determination coming across his face as he was not going to back down on this.

Kara's brow furrowed for a moment before a small smile started to grow on her lips. "I was just going to say that I don't think that it would be a good idea for me to go into this as Supergirl, and alone." She retorted while placing her hands on her hips and grinning at him with a bit of attitude going along with it.

Clark looked a bit dumbfounded a moment before a smile on his own face cracked and a laugh soon followed afterwards as he shook his head a bit. "Well okay then. As long as we got that settled." He stated while clapping his cousin on the shoulder before they headed back around the corner to say good-bye to Chloe and then head out for Edge City.

A dark night had fallen upon Edge City by the time two distinctive blurs of blue came to a running halt just outside the city limits and off to the side in a more darker area to go unnoticed. Clark and Kara stared at the city all alight with its neon and artificial lights to give aid to those still out and about on the streets. Tall buildings loomed against the dark night sky like giant pillars of onyx. The cousins had left Smallville a little after seven o'clock after telling both Martha and Jonathan what they were up to. All though they were against Clark's involvement in this whole issue, the two teens had argued on their part that with two of them there things would end better and not for the worse. Eventually they won the argument and that was when both Clark and Kara left for Edge City.

"Well, let's see if we can't find these Chinese Mafia men in this place." Kara stated aloud and then looked over at Clark. "Let's split up and look for them, you go left and I'll go right, and then we'll meet back here." She explained while pointing out the directions for the obvious. Once Clark agreed, both teens took off into their opposite directions in a flash, disappearing into the large industrial city as two blurs of blue once again.

It around about three seconds for Kara to cover up to the middle of the city and then continue on to finish out the rest of her search as Clark did the same. A minute passed and both teens returned to where they had started out from. "Anything?" Kara asked while approaching her darker haired cousin as he came to meet her halfway. Through her search of a part of the city, Kara hadn't really found anything that would point to mafia conduct or hideout.

"I think I found something about midway in through my search." Clark replied while looking towards the city. "The thing is though, I think I saw Lex." He winced a bit while saying this.

Kara groaned while smacking her forehead with the palm of her hand. "Great." She moaned while dragging her hand down her face and then looked over at her cousin with a half-hearted grin. "Well, see, this was a good idea after all to go Kara Kent and not Supergirl." She tried to joke but it was a weak attempt that she just shook off and then looked to the city. "Lead the way."

Inside the city, Clark led his cousin in the direction he had gone during the search for mafia activity and brought about to what appeared to be a rather rundown area. It was one of those places where all the buildings were made out of brick bodies and steel frames, dirty, litter covered the ground in every alleyway, steam rose out from under the manhole covers, and everything seemed to have just been rained upon while rodents skittered across the ground quickly. A sudden rush of wind, herald the arrival of the two Kent cousins as they arrived just within the back alley of what appeared to be a rundown warehouse of sorts. There were lights on, as it could be seen through the cracks of boarded up windows on the back wall.

"Well, let's see what we can see." Kara stated quietly under her breath and focused her vision on the wall before her. The brick layers literally faded away like a movie scene wipe, and the inside of the warehouse was viewed as if she were standing inside as well. Everything looked old and worn out at this position, which had Kara's brow furrowing a bit. "Clark, I don't see anything." She stated while ending her one form of x-ray vision and then switched over to the next which did look more like she was staring at an x-ray.

Clark focused the use of his x-ray vision as well and helped scan the building alongside her. Walking down a ways, something caught his attention as he noticed that there were several people in this area with one being seated on a chair and surrounded. Ending his use of x-ray vision, Clark looked down at his cousin on the other end. "Kara."

In only the blink of an eye, Kara went from being far from Clark's side to right at it. "What?"

"I found them." Clark stated while pointing with his index finger. "They're inside at around this area." He gestured in a circle wave of his hand and then looked over at Kara who had studied the situation with her x-ray vision now as well. "What do we do now?" he asked, as he was a bit unsure of how this going to work.

Kara crossed her arms over her chest as thought about this all. If they did anything to rash or not completely thought out, Lex could get hurt if that was in fact who was tied to the chair inside. Tapping a finger on the side of her arm, Kara got a small portion of an idea and grabbed Clark by the arm. Without a word she lifted into the air and brought both her and her cousin up to the top of the roof, Clark clinging to her arm as soon as their feet had left the ground. Touching down upon the weather beaten roof, Clark released Kara's arm and took in a deep breath to calm his racing heart.

"A little more warning next time would be appreciated." He said in a quiet tone of voice while looking after the blonde as she had gone to the sky light in the middle of the roof. Following after her, Clark came to stand at her side and follow her gaze down through the grimy glass surface.

They were right over the spot they had been looking at from below. Kara watched what was going on down on the ground and turned her head a bit to listen in on the conversation if there was any at all.

"_Your brother cheated us out of a good deal of cash when he played our gambling clubs. And now, since we cannot find the youngest Luthor, we will be collecting our debt from you."_

"_Fine, tell me how much my brother Lucas owes and I'll have you paid in full."_

"_Tsk, you Luthors think that you can fix anything with money. But in a situation like this, money will get you nowhere. You see, it isn't the money we're interested in, no, it's something far more valuable than money. The pride of the Chinese Mafia has been scared because of your brother's cheating ways. And now, to repay this debt, we will have to scar the pride of the Luthor family through your death Lex."_

Kara looked over at Clark quickly with a rather urgent look on her face. "You mind being a distraction?" she asked in a rather quick manner, to which Clark shook his head in reply to the fact that he didn't mind. "Good." Looking back down, Kara's eye focused immediately on the barrel of the gun being held by the man who had been talking to Lex. A red light circulated once around Lara's eyes before two beams of focused intense heat shot out and pierced through the glass, burrowing holes through it and melting the substance at the same time without having it shatter. The heat vision struck the middle of the barrel just as the trigger had been pulled, and then burrowed through the metal and hit the bullet melting it inside. "Alright, let's go."

Clark followed Kara over to the small access door on the roof, which was ripped off its hinges and tossed aside. The two cousins darted inside and ran down four flights of stairs in only under ten seconds before coming out into the bottom floor that Lex was on. When the bullet had melted inside the barrel of the gun this caused some serious problems for the man holding it. Smoke wafted off the barrel where the two holes could be clearly seen drilled in from above and copper metal was now cooling inside the gun barrel and blocking it up. As the man tried to figure out what had just happened, a gust of wind broke into the room and started to swirl all about them, kicking up litter of various kinds like a tornado. As the Chinese men were distracted by this and near blinded from the force of the wind, they failed to notice that each one of their guns were bent over on themselves at the barrel and the cuffs keeping Lex to the chair had been snapped completely apart freeing him.

The tornado died down almost as fast as it arrived, and a sense of panic came over the mafia men as they looked around to see what could have caused such a thing. A few mumbled in their native Mandarin tongue about spirits and such, but that idea was quickly shot down by the guy who had been ready to shoot Lex as he barked angrily at them and waved his hand in gesture to such a stupid idea. That is, until they all noticed that their guns and been bent about like a piece of clay. All fifteen grown men went near pale as they dropped their guns to the floor at the same time. A loud clatter of metal rang out into the warehouse followed by cries in a foreign tongue as all of them were clearly freaked out to no end. Lex had been watching all of this from the seat they had "provided" for him and then noticed for himself that the cuffs had been snapped at the middle of the chain.

Bringing his hands up to look at them, Lex marveled a bit at how he had been set free for the moment. However, something told him that it was no 'evil spirit' or anything else that these guys were rambling about as they were growing more and more fearful by the minute and then they ran. Lex was left basically alone with fifteen guns strewn about him all bent out and near folded at primarily the barrel. Getting up off the chair, Lex had to steady himself since the beating he had received earlier when arriving at the warehouse, to end this thing with the Chinese Mafia of Edge City, left him a bit dizzy and lightheaded. He had a cut lip, a cut on his cheek, a slowly appearing black eye, and more than likely a few cracked ribs but he was alive. Bending down slowly, he picked up a gun and examined the bent barrel. He had seen something like this before when the Smallville Savings and Loan had been robbed and…Supergirl showed up.

Atop the roof and staring down through the skylight again, Clark and his cousin Kara only grinned as they watched all the grown men run out screaming in their native tongue. Clark laughed lightly while looking over at his blonde cousin. "I didn't think this whole superhero thing could be somewhat fun." He stated, while knowing it wasn't all fun and games at all really.

"At times, but that's rare and few in between all the near destruction of cities and even the world sometimes." Kara replied while glancing over at him and then grinned a bit more. "But yeah, you get those rare occasions when all you can do is laugh at how people react. Or say about you." She added in while turning away from the skylight and started walking over to the edge of the roof.

"What do you mean?" Clark asked while turning and following after her. The last statement had him a bit confused there.

Kara stopped at the edge of the roof and looked over at Clark who had come up beside her. "Well when people say things like you're faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound; it does become rather entertaining Especially when they try and figure out who it is defying the laws of gravity up in the air." She explained while then exhaling dramatically and folding her arms across her chest. "So, how shall we head home? By air or by land?" she asked while raising a brow.

Clark's face took on a somewhat nervous look while he tried to hide it with a smile. "Uh, well, I don't really mind if you want to go by air." He stated as he knew that Kara was more than likely accustomed to flying from place to place rather than running like The Flash did.

"Oh my dear sweet Clark." Kara started while placing a hand on his shoulder and clapping it. "We really need to get you over this whole fear of heights and flying thing."


	10. The Empty City Revelation

Chapter Ten

The Empty City Revelation

Near two weeks had passed since the arrival of the Justice League members, Green Lantern, The Flash, and Supergirl, within the time frame of the past in which they found themselves in Smallville Kansas. They had been taken into a black hole unwillingly while battling several super villains of their own time when the tear was created and the hole had been formed. Along with them came Sinestro, a former Green Lantern to another planet in a distant galaxy who had turned rogue and then stripped of his Lantern powers from The Guardians, who had been lost to them after a second fight broke out upon the farm of Jonathan and Martha Kent between him and Supergirl.

With Sinestro fleeing from Smallville, the three superheroes found themselves at loss in several areas – one was the simple fact they had no idea how they were going to go about returning home to their own time, and the second was also the fact that they needed to take Sinestro back with them and toss him into jail, but of course they had no idea where he was at. It was only through reading a cop of the _Daily Planet_ that the JLA members knew where to being searching for Sinestro and that was within the city of Metropolis. Leaving Supergirl, a.k.a Kara Zor-El of Krypton and cousin to the Man of Steel himself, The Green Lantern and The Flash headed off to track down Sinestro and bring him under their custody.

However, as it was stated earlier, it had been two weeks since the beginning of this whole event. Two weeks in which John Stewart (Green Lantern) and Wally West (The Flash) had been in Metropolis searching for signs of Sinestro and were coming to an unfortunately unsuccessful end.

Wally West sighed as he and John Stewart left a small coffee shop and stepped out into the afternoon air of Metropolis. They had been in this city for a near two weeks and yet no matter how many times he raced around the city as The Flash, Wally could not find a single trace of Sinestro that suggested he was still inside Metropolis. "So, what do we do now?" Wally asked as he looked over at John with a somewhat serious face that was a bit uncharacteristic for him.

"I'm not really sure. We have no idea where Sinestro could be, and we still don't have an idea on how we're going to get home either." Jon replied as he and the red head walked down the sidewalk towards the corner where a crosswalk and intersection were located.

"Not exactly the answer I was hoping to hear, but I guess it's the only one we have for the time being." Wally sighed while shoving his hands into the pockets of the fleece jacket that Jonathan Kent had given him before leaving Smallville. As they came to the corner and waited for the light to change in their favor, Wally just happened to glance down and over at the newspaper stand and near did a double take as something of black and white material caught his eye. "Hey John, I think we better hold off on crossing the street for a moment." He stated while then walking over to the newspaper stand and made a beeline straight for the day's edition of the _Daily Planet_.

John was slightly confused as to what was going on with Wally's actions, and yet at the same time he had a reluctance to follow him over but went along anyways. As soon as he got into a close enough distance to read the bold print running across as the front page news, John near stopped in his tracks and stared with a sort confused stupor. **BIZZARE STRING OF ROBBERIES STEMING FROM METROPOLIS AND THROUGH SEVERAL OTHER CITIES HAVE POLICE BAFFELED. **The two men exchanged looks with one another before quickly returning to the article under the large heading. A few moments of quick reading on Wally's part was all it took for the two make a discovery that would help them in their search.

"No way." Wally exclaimed while re-reading that one certain spot again. "Look at this John, Metropolis was hit first, then Coast City, Star City, Edge City, and now Gotham is starting to have these same times of robberies happening within it. John, these are all cities that Sinestro is familiar with from our own time." Wally near exclaimed and then after a quickly shot stern look from the black man at his side, he checked himself a moment before returning to the paper.

It seemed to be a good enough deduction at best, Sinestro was going from city to city, cities he was knew and was familiar with as a result of committing crimes and fighting with members of the JLA in these places, and was using them to hide in or seek out answers. _Wait a moment, at this point in time Clark Kent is still a teenager. Then if what I'm thinking is right, then we have someone we can rely on from the JLA here and now for help. _John's eyes were starting to become rather wide with this thought and then after blinking only once, he looked over at Wally with a new look of determination on his face. "We need to change." He stated in a monotone voice while then walking off towards what was a nearby alleyway.

With furrowed brow which clearly showed his confusion to all this, Wally folded up the paper and set it back on the stand and then caught up to his friend with only a few quick jogged steps enhanced of course by the inhuman speed of his. "Change? You mean into our superhero identities? Why?" he asked after receiving confirmation by way of nod of the head on John's part.

"We're headed to Gotham City."


	11. Rivals Of No Affection

Chapter Eleven

Rivals Of No Affection

Clark followed alongside his blonde cousin, both carrying at least three bales of hay each, as they were finishing up a few chores that needed to be done around the Kent Farm. The task that had been given them at the moment was rather simple, for the two super powered teens anyways, and loading up the back of the family's pickup truck with a full load of hay to be sent out to feed the cattle. The bales they were carrying were the last that needed to be loaded in before taking the truck out. At the extended tail gate, Clark stopped and tossed in the two bales he had been carrying and then stepped off to the side so that way Kara could toss in her own load as well. Kara had been carrying three bales, two upon her shoulder with an arm holding them stable and the third bale being held in her free hand, the one in her hand she tossed in first before starting to set down the other two bales from off her shoulder.

"That's all of them." Clark announced, and none to soon as his hearing picked the sounds of gravel crunching under rolling tires that were headed up the driveway. Snapping his head round to see who it was that was coming up the drive, his blue eyes became rather wide as he watched a silver Caviler coming up the drive in plain sight of the pickup truck and the impossible feat being performed by his cousin. Looking over at Kara, Clark acted quickly, pushing the bales of her shoulder with one hand so that way they could get rid of any evidence before Chloe pulled up all the way.

The sudden push on the bales caused them to topple into the bed of the truck, but it also caused Kara to momentarily loose her sense of balance, and Kara fumbled forward and hit the open tail gate almost face down. Before she hit, Kara had put her hands out in tie to catch herself while the hay bales rocked around before her face. Pushing herself up off the tailgate, Kara scowled over at her cousin, as she couldn't understand what in Sam-hell caused him to push her like that. "Clark, what the hel…" Kara trailed off as Clark pointed over at the now parked Caviler, the realization now of why Clark had done what he had done dawned on her as she meekly raised a hand and waved at her short haired friend who was getting out of the said car. "Hello Chloe." She greeted while then jabbing Clark in the ribs with her elbow before muttering out of the corner of her mouth. "You could have said something."

"Sorry, it was all I could think of." Clark replied while giving Kara a sideways apologetic look, to which he just received a small grin and roll of the eyes from her in return. However, the rather chipper voice of Chloe Sullivan caused Clark to look back over at his friend as she approached the two of them with a broad smile on her face. "Hey Chloe." He greeted with a smile in his tone of voice as one was starting form upon his face.

"Hey guys. No shortage of work to be done around here I see." Chloe mused while grinning at the two Kent teens after coming to a stop just before them.

Kara shook her head while grinning in reply to Chloe's teasing remark. "Nope, never." She returned while relaxing into an easy stance that took her tall stature down a bit so as not to overshadow her friend. "So how are you feeling?" Kara asked, in reference of course to the fact that it had been about a week since the car accident that ran Chloe off the road. Car accidents just weren't something you walked away from unharmed and feeling fine and dandy about afterwards, and Kara knew this fact to a certain extent from just hearing her cousin's wife tell her about a car accident she had been in one time.

"I'm fine, doctor said that there might be some pain in the neck for a while but that's common in most car accidents anyways." Chloe replied while waving off her friend's concern, though she knew they were of course worried about her. "Anyways, I came by because I wanted to drop this off for Kara." Chloe stated while pulling out from her side bag a copy of a newspaper, and not just any newspaper but the next edition of _The Torch_. "I figured you'd like to have the first copy since you helped me out with the new heading for our front page article." She explained as Kara took the newspaper from her and unfolded it to star at the front page.

Clark leaned in towards his cousin's side to see the article as well, his brows rising a bit in surprise to see the emblazoned full colored S-shield at the side of the main article with heading – **The S-Shield of Smallville**. Reading over it, more than likely about as fast as Kara was reading the article, Clark glanced over at his cousin with a hidden look of shock underlying the amused appearance he was currently forcing for the sake of keeping Chloe from jumping him with a million questions. Still half looking at his cousin, Clark glanced over at Chloe. "Wow, you wrote about Supergirl." He commented while at the same time wondered what it was his cousin was thinking at that moment as she still seemed to be reading the article, either that or she was just too completely dumbfounded to say anything at the moment.

Chloe nodded her head in reply to this, a bright smile upon her face. "Yep, what else is there to write about when all everyone talks about is this new superhero who can stop bullets with her bare hands, bring huge eighteen wheelers to a quick and sudden halt without hurting the driver, and save me and Kara from a fatal car accident? I mean, seriously Clark, her appearance has become a whole lot bigger than the meteor shower." Chloe stated while shooting a quick glance over at Kara. "So, Kara, what do you think of the layout?" she asked.

"It's great Chloe." Kara replied while finally looking up from the paper and giving Chloe a true smile, nothing was hidden behind that smile at all, and Kara meant what she said. Reading just a part of the article caused a sense of both pride in the fact that she had been able to do so much good in this part of time and yet there was a sense of homesickness that started to arise within Kara. "I don't think anybody else could have done a better job, well, save for the Daily Planet." She teased a bit while folding the paper up and grinning over at Chloe.

Chloe laughed a bit at this in response to Kara's remarks and comments and then pulled her keys out of her jacket pocket. "Well, I'm glad to hear it." She stated while picking out her car key. "Anyways, I just wanted to stop by and drop this off for you before I went off to get involved with my unending day of running various errands all over Smallville." Chloe explained while gesturing a bit to the paper that Kara now held.

Kara nodded her head in understanding to this while still smiling at her friend. "Yeah, same here for me and Cark, expect we're doing more of the chore thing than the running errands one." She joked while glancing over at her cousin. Clark only offered a somewhat sheepish grin of his own before nodding in agreement with what Kara had said.

This suddenly gave Chloe any idea that she quickly made verbal for both Clark and Kara to hear as well. "Hey, how about we meet up at the Talon later on today to take a break for a while and just hang out?" she suggested while looking between the two of them with a hopeful look upon her face.

Clark and Kara exchanged glances with one another and then after silently agreeing, they looked back to Chloe, Clark answering for them. "Yeah sure, that sounds like a good idea." He stated while Kara nodded her blonde head in accompaniment to this. "How about we meet at the Talon around three?"

"Sounds good." Chloe replied while taking her steps backwards toward her Caviler. "I'll see you guys at three." She restated while getting into her car and starting it up. Watching Chloe put her car into gear to turn about in the open crushed gravel driveway to head back down the long drive leading up to the house and away to the road.

After Chloe left, Clark looked over at his cousin who had tucked the folded newspaper under her arm s that way her hands were free to shut the tail gate of the pickup. "So I take it then that you knew Chloe wrote an article about you?" he asked while coming around to her left side and stood against the side of the truck. When Kara nodded then looked over at him, Clark had a bit of a perplexed look on his face for the moment. "And you're okay with that?"

"Don't worry Clark, I'm used to having things written about me in the papers, good or bad." Kara replied while turning to face Clark. "But then again, I guess a first impression in any paper is always the most important when it comes to your introduction as a superhero to the rest of the world." She stated while grinning a bit at him before winking afterwards.

Clark gave a small laugh that he kept trapped behind his lips for the moment and then nodded his head towards the cab of the truck. "Come on, we still need to get this hay out to cattle before we can head into town and meet up with Chloe." He reminded her while then walking off towards the driver side.

"Uh, just a thought here, why do you always get to drive?" Kara asked while walking over to the passenger side of the cab and shooting an unamused look while taking a hold of the door handle and waited for her cousin's reply, to which she only received a short laugh from him in return.

Seeing as how she seemed to be looking serious, Clark raised a brow while opening the door on his side. "Well, I don't believe you have a driver's license. Besides, can't you just fly wherever you want as well as run?" he teased while then getting into the cab, ending their conversation like in a way he knew would annoy her in a good way.

A small scowl crossed Kara's brow at this remark and she got into the pickup as well, and as soon as the door was closed Kara shot a look over at Clark. "That was just mean." She stated while crossing her arms over her chest and giving Clark her best look of hurt as well in accompaniment.

This only caused Clark to grin at his cousin's acting skills and replied to them by merely reaching over with a hand and tussled her corn silk blonde locks in a way that flipped most of her hair over her face like a curtain. Kara slowly pushed her hair back out of her face and just mock glared at her cousin as he laughed while starting up the pickup truck to drive them out to the cattle pasture. The drive took somewhere around five to ten minutes since all the cattle had moved farther out to the last feeding stile. Even though the pace was incredibly slower than what Kara was used to traveling at, it was rather enjoyable to have the window down and admiring the surreal and peaceful settings of heartland. While Kara stared out the passenger window with a content look on her face, her hearing started to pick up something far off in the distance. Something that sounded like a distressed cry of a young person, someone very young, a child even from what Kara was picking up with her super hearing. Concentrating further upon the sound, isolating it out from all others, Kara could feel her muscles tensing up as now knew that her responsibility as a superhero was needed right away.

Looking quickly over at Clark, Kara held a somewhat stern and worried look upon her face that caught his attention off the road before them. "Clark, I'll meet you at the cattle pasture." She stated while unlocking the door beside her.

"What? Where are you going?" Clark asked while slowing the pickup down and then came to a complete stop altogether.

Kara started to open the door, but stopped part way to look over at her cousin and answer his questions. "Someone's in trouble, I have to go." She answered quickly and then after giving Clark a quick smile that he returned in his own, Kara jumped out the truck cab and then after taking a few steps away from the truck itself, Kara looked around quickly to make sure that no one else was around to see her then take to the air and disappear as her rate of acceleration was incredible. While slicing through the air miles from the surface, Kara peeled off her civilian attire to reveal the uniform of Supergirl underneath. Swooping down so that her body hovered above the ground a few feet, Supergirl passed through a small woodland grove and dropped the bundle containing her jeans, shirt, jacket, and shoes off within the tallest perch of a tree as Supergirl shot back up into the air.

Soaring through the sky and following after the sounds of distressed cries, Supergirl rocketed near halfway across Smallville before she spotted pluming clouds of pitch-black smoke billowing off an inferno of a fire that consumed what appeared to be a farm house. Pulling her flight into a pause, Supergirl hovered within the arms of the sky and used her telescopic vision to quickly asses the situation before then turning her body down towards the earth and streaked down in a blur of red and blue. Down below, the farmhouse belonging to a family of four had caught on fire after the stove experienced an electrical problem after being turned on. Before the family knew it, their home was engulfed in flames. Luckily enough the mother who had been home with her two four-year-old twins had her cell phone on her and dialed 9-1-1, however things took a turn for the worse as one of the twins ran back into the house to retrieve the family cat.

"NO! MICHAEL!" The mother screamed while running towards the towering inferno her child had taken back into. Before she even got near the porch, an eruption of flames exploded and sent what glass there had remained within the windows to shatter out in a rain that drove the panicked mother backwards. The fear of loosing her son now to the fingers of intense heat that consumed the home they had loved in since before the twins were born, gripped her in a vice that shook her frame as she clutched the cell phone to her chest and wept. Her other son, the other twin named Sam, held on to her leg while burying his face there and cried.

As another explosion shot out from the house, it all seemed hopeless, that is until the sudden dive of something coming out of the sky shot down at an angle and entered the house from the outside of the second floor. Moments later the same object shot straight up and out of the roof of the farmhouse and held to it the small body of a four-year-old and a small furry ball of orange in a protective shield before coming down out of the sky to land near the shaken mother who watched in a state of unmovable awe as Supergirl touched down in front of her with her son and family cat cradled in her arms covered in a some black ash but unharmed to say the least. Supergirl walked towards the mother and held an assuring smile upon her face before handing over the young boy. Taking Michael in her arms, the mother hugged him close as a wave of over flowing joy washed over her. Looking to Supergirl, who was setting the orange tabby cat on the ground, the mother held a look of deep gratitude and thankfulness for what this young hero had done for her. "Thank you Supergirl, thank you."

Supergirl shook her blonde head lightly while still smiling. "You don't need to thank me. I was just doing my job." She replied while then turning about on her heel to face the still burning home. Taking in a deep breath, Supergirl then exhaled it in one mighty blow of ice cold air that swept across the burning home, the flames being extinguished all together from the gale force that drove through. In a moment the fire was out and most of the home was still standing with its insides charred completely for the most part. A sense of slight depression overcame Supergirl as she stared at the ruins of what had been this family's home. Her shoulders sagged as she thought upon what they were going to have to go through in order to remake their lives.

"My husband's great grandfather had to rebuild this house years ago when it caught fire during an electrical storm." The mother stated while coming to stand beside the heroine with her children. As Supergirl's blue-eyed gaze turned towards her, the mother smiled at her. "We'll rebuild like he did, and go on with our lives."

A brief smile passed over Supergirl's face at the words of the mother. It was times like these when brief words of encouragement to the superheroes from the ones they saved that made what they did all that more important. Seeing the look upon the mother's face, a look of determination and gratitude towards her, Supergirl knew that they would be fine. Glancing down at the two boys who were sticking close to their mother, she then knelt down a bit to come to their level and smile at them. Looking specifically at the one named Michael, she grinned a bit at him. "Next time if there's a fire, don't go back inside even for your cat. You really scared your mom there buddy." She stated while reaching out a white-gloved hand and ruffled the boy's hair lightly. "Alright?"

Michael nodded his head vigorously in response before looking up t his mom with an apologetic look on his face. Supergirl stood up on her feet and then before taking back to the sky she made sure that everyone was okay and then after giving a wave she was up and off headed back towards the Kent Farm to meet up with Clark.

At the cattle paddock, Clark had just about finished with the feeding of the cattle when out of the sky dropped down his cousin, redressed in her civilian attire.

"Everything okay?" Clark asked while jumping down out of the bed of the truck as Kara was touching down upon the earth.

"Somewhat. There was a fire a good ways from here and a kid ran back into the house after the cat." Kara explained while running a hand through her hair and fixing her mussed bangs so that way they swept off to the left instead of sitting over her eyes. "But everyone's okay and the fire's out." She stated while grinning at her cousin. "So, did you leave anything for me to do?" Kara asked while glancing into the back of the pickup truck. There were only to bales of hay left.

Clark laughed while coming to her side and gazed in at the two bales as well. "Maybe." He teased while reaching in grabbing one bale with his hand. "You can take the other one."

"Wow, thanks Clark." Kara joked while grabbing the left behind bale and followed Clark over to the hay stile where he showed her how to pull apart the leaves of the bale so that way they were separated equally before being tossed in between the bars of the stile. With the work done, the two cousins got back inside the truck to head back to the farm so they could wash up before heading off into town to meet up with Chloe at the Talon.

* * *

Chloe nearly burst in through the doors of the Talon with a look on her face that betrayed her of the fact that she had something really important to tell to whomever she caught sight of first. And the first person she saw inside the Talon was Lana Lang working behind the front counter. Making a beeline for Lana at the front counter, Chloe weaved in and out of the surrounding customers and within seconds that would make the speed in which Clark and Kara could move at seem slow. "Lana!" Chloe spoke the brunette's name as she set down her purse upon the counter top and literally caused the young woman to jump while putting away clean dishes.

"Chloe, hey, what's up?" Lana asked while trying to calm down the fast pace in which her heart was now racing at after being startled by Chloe's sudden appearance.

The shorthaired blonde no longer held back what news she had, and split it all out for Lana to hear. "The Peterson farm nearly burned down!" she exclaimed, her somewhat loud tone of voice catching the attention of a few who were nearby enough to hear it in the first place.

The look on Lana's face held a sense of deep concern, as she knew the Petersons through her aunt Nell. Setting aside what dishes she still hel din her hands, Lana then moved closer to the counter and set her arms across the top in a folded manner and then leaned towards Chloe to keep their conversation more private. "What happened?" Lana asked, as she knew more than likely Chloe would have all the information needed when it came to something like this.

"Apparently it was the stove caught fire and it just took the whole house. From what I heard, one of the twin boys, Michael I think, ran back into the house to save the family cat which was still inside." Chloe explained while catching the rather paled look that took over Lana's complexion as all color drained at the mention of the small child running back into a burning house. "However, just after Michael ran inside you'll never guess who showed up to save the day." Chloe stated while seemingly taking on a brighter look than before as this story of tragic lose and possible death was coming up on a decent happy ending. The quizzical look on Lana's face that first appeared suddenly disappeared as now figured out the happy ending. "The mom said that Supergirl just dived into the burning building straight from the sky and then came straight up out of the roof with both Michael and the family cat." Chloe grinned broadly while at the same time she wished she could have seen this feat performed for herself. "The fire was even put out before the fire trucks showed up."

This new piece of information had Lana giving Chloe a very confused look. Thus far the brunette knew of several of Supergirl's abilities like most of the people in Smallville – super-strength, the ability of flight, invulnerability, and super-speed. "How was the fire put out then?" Lana asked while trying to figure this little mystery out for herself, only to have Chloe answer it for her with a somewhat odd reply.

"That's the weird thing, Mrs. Peterson said that Supergirl blew it out like a candle." Chloe answered while then giving Lana a look that matched her own including the raised brow.

Both girls became rather silent as they tried to figure out how that was even possible in the first place. No human could just blow out a raging fire that was consuming a building, but then again no human could fly, catch bullets with their hands, stop huge trailers, and travel at speeds breaking Mach 5. _There's just no way. _Chloe mused as she mauled over the subject at hand. _I have to get an interview with Supergirl and find out who she is and where she comes from. It's the only way we'll ever really know anything about her other than the fact that she's a superhero. _Chloe started to absent-mindedly bite upon her bottom lip as she thought out a plan to get an interview with this new icon of crime fighting and day saving. Lana on the other hand was thinking near the same things, only she was trying to piece together another mystery all in its own that she was going to keep to herself for the time being until it was the right time to share it aloud.

It was when the doors of the Talon opened again that Lana looked up from her private musings and spotted the newest set of customers that had come in, a grin cutting across her attractive face, as she knew these faces. "Hey guys." She greeted cheerfully as the blonde and black haired cousins came up to the counter with Kara now of course leading the way.

Chloe looked back over her shoulder after Lana's face lit up with a smile to see who it was that caused the brunette girl to change her demeanor so suddenly. Now seeing that it was the two Kent teens who had come in, Chloe turned the rest of her body about as a smile came across her face as well upon seeing them. "Wow, you're actually on time Clark." She teased in mocking of his usual lateness that Clark Kent was best known for most of the time. This in turn received a slightly sheepish grin from Clark as he approached the counter with his cousin. "Maybe Kara should travel with you more often." Chloe stated while nodding at the blonde who had come to her side and now stood at the counter with her grinning a bit in response having been mentioned.

"Are you calling me Clark's watch now?" Kara asked while tilting her sideways a bit while still holding to her grin.

Lana gave a soft chuckle to this before turning about to set to work on the back counter with the usual drinks she knew her friends took every time they came into the Talon. "Is it still a White Chocolate Latte Kara?" she asked while looking over her shoulder at the blonde who had suddenly turned her attention towards her in response. The nod from Kara's head confirmed Lana's first assumption and the brunette set to work on the drink.

"So Clark, did you and Kara hear about what happened out at the Peterson Farm?" Chloe asked while now taking her big news to a fresh set of ears virgin to the passed event. Although the two cousins knew exactly what had happened out at that farm without having to hear the story, they gave Chloe questioning looks anyways for her to go on ahead and tell them. "They're house caught fire in the early afternoon." Chloe explained to them while still holding to the same vigor that she had before when telling Lana the news. "Mrs. Peterson said that Supergirl showed up and saved her son, who had run back in for the cat, and even extinguished the fire as well."

Kara gave Chloe an acted look of shock and disbelief that Clark seemed to mimic almost perfectly, but none to alike as it would then seem as though he was hiding something, and Chloe had a talent for spotting this before you even had a chance to say or do anything else. However it was Clark who spoke up first before anything suspicious was picked up. "Really? That's probably the smoke we saw in the sky then." Clark glanced over at Kara, who nodded in agreement to this. They were getting a whole lot better at making cover up stories for each other and mainly for Kara.

Chloe nodded her head vigorously to this, as she was sure that's what they had seen as well. "Anyways, I was just about to tell Lana before you guys showed up, that the only way we're ever going to get the full -scoop on Supergirl, who she, where she comes from, what her exact powers are, if I can get an interview with her and print it in _The Torch_." Chloe explained her idea to her friends, who all then gave her rather surprised looks, a shocked one coming from Kara.

"Well good luck trying to find her before _The Daily Planet _or anyone else does Chloe." Lana stated while bringing over a tray holding the drinks she had made up for them. Passing out each individual drink to them, Lana looked over at the front door as it had just opened again and raised a curious brow at the woman who had just walked in. She looked no older than maybe twenty at the most, long blonde hair that was darker than Kara's, big blue grey eyes framed in mascara and dark eye shadow for a smoky eye effect, painted lips, dark red fingernails, and dressed in a very expensive looking flowing pink skirt and matching spaghetti tank top bedazzled all over the front with shinny beads and sequins; and she was making a direct beeline war path for Kara in a pair of stiletto heels. "Uh, Kara, I think there's someone here to see you." Lana whispered while then gesturing with a slight flick of her head towards the approaching from behind her friend.

Kara's brow wrinkled a bit in response to this as she couldn't think of anyone who would come to the Talon looking for her, unless of course it was possibly Pete, Lex, Martha, Jonathan, Wally, or John. Still confused by what Lana had meant, Kara turned about and came almost face to face with the blonde woman who had walked in and now stood before her. Almost face-to-face meant, well; even with those stiletto heels this woman wasn't even eye level with the near six foot two Kara who almost gave Clark a challenge in height. Even with the height difference, the woman glared venom at Kara silently for a moment which just further confused the Kryptonian youth as she stared back with a n innocent and surprised look on her own face.

"Are you Kara Kent?" The woman asked slowly, her eyes narrowed dangerously upon the teen as she spoke.

"Uh, yeah." Kara answered and then was met with a smack across the face that caught her off guard enough to throw her into a look of shock and have her place a hand upon the cheek struck. It didn't even hurt at all, but just the fact this woman had the gully to just suddenly smack her for answering to her own name, Kara was thoroughly confused.

When the woman had smacked her, both Lana and Chloe drew in sharp breathes at first and then glared at the woman angrily for having struck their friend like that for no apparent reason. Clark just stared with a rather dumbfounded look on his face after the whole event occurred, partially wondering if that woman's hand was now hurting after having smacked someone who was like solid steel. After the whole shock of what happened passed though, Clark became rather aggravated that someone had hit his cousin like that. Stepping up to Kara's side, Clark gave the woman a rather disapproving look. "Why did you just slap my cousin?" he asked in a tone of voice that sounded still very shocked rather than angry for the moment.

The woman shifted her gaze momentarily to Clark and glared at him. "It's none of your business hick." She snapped and then turned her glare to the other two girls beside and behind Kara. "You two hens better do the same as well, and stay out of this."

Chloe looked ready to jump at the woman and tear into her had it not been for Kara stepping in her path of direction, her hand coming off her cheek. Her blue eyes stared back at the woman with an underlying intensity that promised no further toleration of insults thrown about at her family and friends. "Hey, if you have a problem with me, fine, but don't insult my friends and my family." Kara stated while struggling to keep herself from letting forth an outburst of anger. _Cam down, Kara. Think about what Kal would do and how he would treat this type of a situation. _"What do you want from me?"

The blonde woman continued to glare at Kara while then setting her hands upon her sharp hips. "I want you to stay away from Lex Luthor, that's what I want from you." She near snarled while sneering venomously.

This sudden statement caused all four teens to become thoroughly confused and shocked all at the same time as they stared at this woman. This was what the whole slapping thing and the insults were all about? Lana muttered something under her breath while looking off towards her right so that way the blonde haired woman wouldn't hear or see her saying something. Chloe on the other hand still looked like she wanted to tear this lady apart, even with Kara blocking her path to the woman. Shaking her head a moment to show just how confused she was by all this, Kara looked at the woman with a furrowed brow. "Look I have no idea what you're talking about." She stated bluntly to explain not just her own confusion over this, but everyone else's as well.

A sneer crossed the blonde woman's face at this and then that was when she tried to get up in Kara's face, although that proved rather difficult seeing as how Kara stood much taller than her. "Just stay away from Lex Luthor." She hissed before then giving everyone a last glare and then turned about on her heel to then storm out of the Talon and disappear from sight, leaving the four friends still in a silent state.

"Well, that was interesting." Kara stated in a sarcastic tone of voice that had Lana trying very hard not to burst into a fit of laughter how laid back Kara was being about this and joking. Looking over at Clark, Kara raised a brow. "What do you think that was all about?" she asked.

There was still a slightly annoyed look upon Clark's face that he was trying to get rid of after having watched someone just come up and lash out upon his cousin like that. The funny thing was, even though Clark and Kara had made up the cover story of her being his cousin, Clark felt as though that cover could be in fact very real seeing as how the two of them hail from a dead planet with the same name – Krypton, so to watch someone he considered part of a his family be treated like that made his blood boil a bit even though he knew Kara probably never felt any pain from the slap. Shrugging his shoulders in response to Kara's question, Clark did then give a rather odd look upon his face as though he were taking the shrug back as if he suddenly remembered something he had forgotten about. "Well, maybe it's new girlfriend of Lex's that took something small way too far." He suggested while also trying to solve this little mystery as well for the sake of satisfying his own sense of growing curiosity.

"I don't care what her problem is." Chloe started up, still looking rather pissed off by the actions of the woman who had come and gone. "She had no right coming in here like that to just slap Kara, insult the rest of us and then turn around and threaten Kara over something none of us are even wise about." The tone of voice Chloe held showed just how angry and frustrated she was with the whole situation though it had already passed.

Kara reached over and set a hand on Chloe's shoulder with a rather blank look upon her face. "Chloe, breath." She stated in such a monotone manner it had Lana now laughing into the back of her hand and Clark trying not to fall within the trap of laughter as well.

The look on Chloe's face broke and soon she too was grinning broadly at what had been said. "I'll try." Chloe replied and then took a drink from her now warm coffee that had been waiting for a while now to be consumed.


	12. The Caves Part One

Chapter Twelve

The Caves – Part One

"Kara can you give me a hand with this?" Lana asked, while gesturing over at the same time to a tray laden with several large mugs of coffee sitting on the counter. She already had a full tray in hand and picking up another tray half its load wasn't going to be happening without some sort disastrous event occurring with it.

Setting aside what was left of her White Chocolate Latte, Kara left the counter where she had been standing around at with her cousin Clark and their friend Chloe for almost an hour and a half after the whole angry stranger episode in which Kara had been slapped and then received a threat to stay away from Lex Luthor by an unknown woman. Coming to Lana's aid, Kara picked up the tray and then followed Lana out on to the floor to serve out the coffee to the patrons who had ordered. While Kara was away for the moment, Chloe turned to Clark and held a rather concerned look upon her face that was of course directed to one specific thing. Scooting closer to him so as to keep the conversation quiet and between them for the moment, Chloe started in on her own interpretation of why what had happened, happened.

"Does Lex have a new girlfriend with jealousy issues or something that no one else knows about?" Chloe asked, knowing that Clark and Lex were practically best friends.

For a moment Clark was quiet as he tried to recall any point in time of which in Lex mentioned having a new girlfriend around the mansion, but nothing popped out at him. Shaking his head, Clark glanced over his shoulder at his cousin who was still following Lana around at the moment, and then looked to Chloe. "I don't remember Lex ever mentioning he had company around the mansion as of late."

Chloe's brown eyes became rather wide for a moment as a thought quickly hit her. "Maybe she's some sort of crazed stalker or something, and she just some how happened to see Lex talking with Kara at one point and jumped to a radical conclusion to which now she's taking it out on Kara finally." Chlo suggested, more like hinted to for the moment as the excitement of her own theory got the better of her so suddenly.

Giving his friend a somewhat doubtful look, Clark only sighed in response before speaking up. "Chloe, that seems a little out there." He stated while then taking a drink from what was left inside his coffee cup.

"Even if it seems a little out there Clark, it could be possible. I mean, we've seen and heard stranger things before involving Lex and love sick female stalkers and or fans." She pointed out while then also raising her brows in emphasis to this theory of hers. "Maybe we should find out from Lex himself what's going on if he has any idea at all about it." Chloe pointed out while taking the last and finally drink from her coffee and then set aside the empty container upon the counter. "Because if we don't, then we're just going to be left in the dark as to why Kara is now being harassed by some psycho."

"I'd say more of a psychopath than just psycho, when describing her." Lana put in as she came back around the other side of the counter with an empty tray in hand and Kara in tow as well. "What if you don't find anything out from Lex, what's Kara going to do then? Go to the police?" Lana asked as she was trying to also add in the more logical side of this whole thing as well. "We didn't even get the woman's name."

Kara set the empty tray she was holding off on the back counter and then came to stand near Lana and leaned forward on the counter with her arms crossed a top its smooth surface. "We don't need her name, we have a description. Even still, I doubt I really need to worry about her Lana." Kara stated while giving the brunette a sideways glance. While she portrayed a cool and calm demeanor slightly tinted with a faint acted sense of worry, Kara on the inside was holding no real thought to what this lady wanted from her or demanded. _If this lady keeps up with just threats, fine, I can handle threats. But if she starts taking some sort of violent action against me and the others, then Supergirl is just going to have to get involved with this situation. And I really don't want to have to resort to something like that for the moment. _Sighing to herself, Kara noticed that Clark was giving her a somewhat strange look and briefly flashed him an assuring smile that caused the corner of his mouth to tug a bit in an attempt at as smile of his own.

Lana could see the look on Clark's face that Kara tried to ease and managed to somewhat dwindle, but most of the look remained still, and Lana decided it would be best to try and get everyone's mind off the whole thing. "So, does anyone have plans for the night?" Lana asked while absentmindedly picking at the thin line of clear caulking that cemented the glass counter top to the wooden framing of the counter itself.

Chloe shrugged her shoulders at this. "I don't think so, at least as long as I get over to _The Torch_ and finish up a few things there." At this, Chloe brightened and looked over at Kara and Clark, "Hey I have a great idea, if you don't mind Lana?" she then looked over at her brunette friend who seemed to be grinning ear to ear now for a reason known only to herself.

"No, go ahead Chloe, I was just trying to see if anyone had plans. If we were all free I was going to suggest we try and do something, but you apparently have had a spark of genius so go ahead." Lana grinned while her tone of voice held a laugh to it.

"Okay, well since we're all open with our social calendars tonight, I was thinking we grab Pete and spring for a movie." Chloe suggested while looking between her three friends with a hopeful look on her face at the fact that they'd agree since it was the only thing she could think of at the moment.

Lana looked at Clark with an agreeing look on her face, and then Clark looked over at Kara who nodded her head with a huge grin on her face. Kara couldn't really recall the last time she had gone out the movies, _I think the last time was when I went with Babs in Gotham a year ago. What movie did we see anyways? _Shaking her head mentally, Kara grinned over at Chloe, "That sounds like a good idea Chloe!" she declared while jumping up from her leaning position against the counter. "What movie are we going to see?" she then asked while taking on a rather thoughtful look as she glanced between her friends.

Lana gave a laugh at Kara's sudden look of almost child-like innocence before saying anything. "How about we all just meet up at the movie theater at around eight-thirty and then we'll decide what movie then." She suggested.

"That sounds good." Chloe stated while gathering up her purse from the top of the counter. "Well, I'm going to head over to _The Torch _and while I'm there I'll call Pete and get him in on this little get together." She grinned while slinging her purse strap across her shoulder. "I'll see you guys at eight-thirty." Chloe called out as she started off towards the front door of the Talon.

Clark, Lana, and Kara all called out good-byes to their blonde friend as she stepped outside. After Chloe left, Kara glanced over at Lana with a curious look on her face. "I thought the Talon closed at nine on the weekdays?" she asked now realizing that Lana had set up a time that seemed a bit odd.

"Don't worry Kara, I already thought about that. I'm going to have Michelle close for me tonight." Lana explained with a smile playing upon her lips.

"Oh." Kara commented while nodding her head in understanding to this now and had Clark giving a small laugh before grinning broadly.

Clark finished off the last of his now cold drink and gave his cousin a rather thoughtful look. "I guess we better be heading off as well." He stated while smiling over at Lana as well. "We'll see you later Lana." He stated while handing the empty mug over to Lana who nodded at what he said.

Kara came out from behind the counter and joined her cousin on the floor before heading off towards the front doors, but of course not before calling a quick 'bye' to Lana. Outside, the two cousins started off down the sidewalk at an easy pace, but it was Clark first who started to stumble a bit in his walk before stopping completely and near doubled over as an extremely sick feeling came over him. The sudden absence of her cousin caused Kara to stop as well and back track to him. "Hey, Clark what's…" before Kara could finish the same sick feeling hit her as well. Kara had felt effects like this before, when she was exposed to…kryptonite. Groaning quietly, Kara shook her head and then took notice something upon the top of her hand. Her veins were showing through her skin in a green tint. _Oh god, we need to get out of here now. _"Clark, come on, we need to keep moving." She stated while setting a hand upon her cousin's shoulder as he was still a bit doubled over on his feet.

Clark nodded almost meekly before standing up right, the look of sick pain contorting his face a bit. "I know, let's just duck off somewhere and hope it's far enough away from whatever or whoever has kryptonite on them." He murmured quietly so that only Kara would hear him.

Nodding to this in complete agreement, Kara tried her best to guide both herself and her cousin off into the nearest alleyway without way too much attention upon them. After ducking into the alley, Kara could already feel herself starting to recover from the distant but close enough exposure to kryptonite. Making sure that Clark was okay, which he too was starting to already recover as well, Kara started to think that there was something rather suspicious about the sudden kryptonite exposure. Whether that was because she was starting to come into her own as a superhero after the years of training under her cousin's shadow as his 'sidekick', or maybe the effects of being around someone like Batman all the time in the JLA was starting to make itself present now. _As much as I'd want to act afraid of that fact, I'm actually glad I've picked up so much from Bruce and his near paranoid ways. _Kara smirked a bit at this before turning her attention to the walls separating her and Clark from the rest of the street in the alley.

The brick, steel, and lumber was peeled back as the x-ray vision of the Kryptonian youth used her alien abilities to look upon the street beyond to see if there was anything outstanding. The walking skeletal frames of the people about the streets of downtown Smallville were nothing that odd to see, well unless you weren't from the planet of Krypton, but the sudden flash of something green caught Kara's eye. Her head snapped over to the far left, her eyes boring through the interior of the building she was staring through and passed, and narrowed upon a skeleton that held a green glow down the arms starting from the shoulders and ending at the finger tips. "What the…?"

"Kara?"

The call of her name caused Kara to loose focus on her x-ray vision and turn her head about to look over at her cousin. Clark held a look on his face that showed he was rather curious as to what she was doing.

"What?" she asked, a slender brow rising at her cousin's facial expression.

Clark stepped over toward Kara and looked about quickly to make sure no one was coming down the alley or passing by. "Let's just get back home." He stated with a gesture of his head in a sideways nod. To this, Kara nodded her head and before the blink of an eye could begin or pass, the two were gone leaving a sudden gust of wind in their wake.


	13. The Caves Part Two

Chapter Thirteen

The Caves – Part Two

Kara waited at the bottom of the stairs with her foot tapping impatiently while her arms were crossed over her chest and a somewhat annoyed look on her face. It was twenty minutes until they needed to meet up with their friends, and Clark wasn't even downstairs ready yet. _He's faster than a speeding bullet, stays almost even with The Flash when racing, and yet here we are on the verge of being late for a movie. _"Clark, come on! We're going to be late!" Kara called up while her arms uncrossed themselves and hung now at her sides.

"Punctuality has never been his strong point." Martha stated while coming up from behind Kara with a basket of freshly folded laundry in hand. A smile was on her face as she passed her niece up and stopped on the other side of the staircase. "You might need to go up there and physically drag him down and out of the house Kara." She laughed lightly as she teased the blonde teen that looked as though she were verge of doing just that.

Giving a small smile in return to her aunt's teasing, Kara looked up at the stairs as heavy footfalls signaled the decent of her cousin at last. "Finally!" Kara stated while giving her cousin a rather annoyed glare as he stopped on the last step.

"Sorry." He gave his cousin a small smile as he spoke.

Martha laughed and shook her head while turning back to her intended path that she paused from. "You two have fun and don't stay out too late." She called back over her shoulder before disappearing off into another part of the house.

Clark stepped off the last stair and headed for the kitchen door, Kara following after him. They were going to be late, and taking the truck was something they had to do rather than just zip into town, as they normally would have. But then again… "Why don't we just run?" Kara asked after the screen door snapped close behind her. "We'll get there faster, we won't have to worry about Chloe and the others being mad for our tardiness, and most importantly we won't miss the previews!" Kara rattled off her list before getting ahead of Clark and stopping to face him.

Shaking his head at this, Clark dismissed the idea. "We can't. They'll wonder how we got there without the truck being in sight." He pointed out while reaching out and tussling her platinum colored hair. "Besides, we'll get there in time even driving the truck."

Kara ran a hand through her hair to straighten out the mess that Clark had created and then gave him an unamused look in return. "Oh come on Clark! It's not that hard to make up an excuse about the whole no truck thing!" she stated as he stepped around her and continued walking towards the pick up parked just on the other side of the picket fence. "Clark! Hey! I was talking to you!" Kara called after him while then having to run a bit to catch up.

Clark grinned to himself while opening the drive side door. Kara reached the passenger side and narrowed her eyes at him over the roof. "Just get in." Clark laughed. Making a face, Kara followed his instructions and got in, buckling up in the process and then crossed her arms over her chest in an attempt to pout while staring out the windshield. "Being stubborn like that gets you no where Kara." Clark stated as the truck rumbled to life and started to back up to turn around and head down the long driveway. Kara muttered something under her breath before looking out the passenger window. "I heard that!" Clark looked over at his blonde cousin with an accusing look on his face.

"Well I would hope so!" She shot back while looking over at him and lost whatever steam she had been building after seeing the teasing grin on his face. "You're evil." She stated, which in turn earned a laugh from him in response.

Just as Kara had predicted, they ended up being five minutes late and found Chloe, Lana, and Pete waiting for with outside with tickets bought for the 8:15 showing of the movie they had agreed upon earlier. Chloe shook her head in disappointment and then threw her hands up in the air. "I knew I was right in thinking to buy the tickets for the 8:15 showing."

Lana giggled behind her hand while Pete grinned while walking up next to Chloe and put a hand on her shoulder. "Chloe's just trying to say that we're glad you guys made it." He stated as if he were her personal interpreter. Pete grinned at his best friend and his best friend's cousin.

Kara grinned back and then nodded her head over at her cousin's direction. "It's all Clark's fault, I blame him." She stated bluntly while shrugging her shoulders at the same time.

For ratting out her cousin, Kara received a slight shove to the shoulder from him and then in response gave him a narrowed eyed glare for a brief few seconds. Lana laughed aloud finally and then stepped in to break them all up and get them moving towards the theater before they missed the movie. "Come on guys, let's get inside before we miss our movie." She grinned and then started herding them towards the double-doors.

Inside the theater, the group of friends made a quick stop at the concession stands to grab a few snacks before heading into the theater itself. Pete went ahead to grab some seats while Clark, Kara, Chloe, and Lana rounded up what snacks they wanted. Chloe and Kara had moved over to the condiment part of the counter with two buckets of popcorn. Chloe pumped butter on to hers and then added a small dash of salt while Kara added melted caramel syrup on hers. The two girls shared a smartass comment to each other about the inevitability of Clark's lack of being on time for anything, but it was Chloe who's laughter ceased first as she caught sight of the last person they needed to have around.

"Kara, no matter what I say, do not look around." Chloe suddenly stated in a hushed voice to her friend and received an odd look in response for this. "That woman from earlier today who was ready to claw your eyes out over Lex, she's here in the theater."

Kara had the sudden urge to suddenly start looking around to spot this woman, but Chloe had warned her not to and so Kara somehow managed to keep attention on her friend. "Where?" was all she asked while grabbing some napkins and then started to walk herself and Chloe back to where Clark and Lana were grabbing straws for the drinks.

"She's by the bathrooms, and it looks like she's alone." Chloe glanced back over her shoulder for a brief moment to see what the woman was doing and then returned attention forward. Apparently the woman was unaware of their presence for the moment. "She doesn't seem to know we're here let alone looking for you specifically like some crazed stalker." She assured her. "But let's keep this to ourselves. Don't need to freak Clark out and have him go into over-protective mode."

Kara lightly laughed at this and nodded a bit. "I guess you're right." She stated quickly as they were coming up to Clark and Lana, and then grinned broadly at them in an odd manner as if she wanted to cover something up. "Hey guys!"

Lana grinned back at Kara. "Well let's get in before the movie starts." She said while nodding her head towards their designated theater showing the movie they had picked out.

As they headed over to the theater, Lana and Chloe leading the way while Clark and pulled Kara to the back and raised a brow at her in a questioning look. Kara tried to keep her gaze forward as if she were interested in what Lana and Chloe had started talking about instead of giving in to her cousin's accusing looks. "What?" Kara finally hissed while stopping and looked over at Clark with a narrowed gaze.

"You're hiding something aren't you?" he accused in while using it in question form. Kara's eyes shifted away from him to elsewhere and then back as if she were thinking about this. "Kara." His voice became a bit more reprimanding, as he wanted her to tell him what was going on.

"Don't worry about it Clark." Kara replied while looking over as Chloe called out their names. "You know I'd tell you if it was." She added in while giving him a smile in a show of reassurance.

Seeing as how this was all he was going to get out of his cousin for the moment, Clark reluctantly accepted it for now and then followed Kara towards the theater. Inside, the lights had already gone down, but they managed to find where Pete had saved them all seats and sat down just as the first preview began. As soon as Kara sat down, she was handed a soda from Clark and passed it down so that way it reached Pete while Lana handed Chloe one at the same time. Clark handed Kara the other soda he had in his hand aside from his own and everyone was settled in and passing the popcorn buckets back and forth between each other as the movie started. Almost as soon as the movie started, Kara's hearing started pickup something outside the sounds of the movie, sounds of raised voices more than likely out in the lobby. Kara tuned her super-hearing in further and listened passed the movie and isolated what was going on in the lobby.

"_Look ma'am you can't go in there without the ticket for that movie. I'm sorry."_

"_Not yet you're not."_

A man and a woman were arguing, and the woman sounded way too calm to be in a heated argument.

"_Please, ma'am, don't make me call security."_

"_Don't worry,"_

A pause, and then a huge crash followed after it that had every muscle in Kara's body tensing.

"_You won't be able to."_

Kara handed Chloe her bucket of popcorn and set her drink in the armrest before getting up and stepping out into the aisle. Clark gave her a questioning look that Kara answered by mouthing she needed to use the restroom and then headed off towards the lobby. At the doors, Kara looked back at the other moviegoers and noticed they were all to focused on the movie rather than a teen at the doors, and after opening the door a crack, Kara vanished from sight in a blur.

Out in the lobby, the same woman who had given Kara a hard time at The Talon was staring down at the usher she had tossed aside. The young man had landed rather uncomfortably on his back after a few potted planets and display cutouts had broken his fall, other than that he was alright save for the fact that he had been knocked unconscious. Just as the woman turned around to head towards the theater, she jerked backwards as she came face to face with a rather intense pair of blue eyes that were glaring at her. The woman's upper lip curled. "Well, well, look who we have here. Shouldn't you be out saving the day from out of control trucks and burning houses?" she sneered with a malicious grin.

Not finding anything funny with this at all, Supergirl glared at the woman. "Look, I don't know who you are or why you're here, but you obviously have some anger management issues that need to be dealt with." Supergirl retorted.

The woman merely gave a small grunt in response to this in response while raising her right arm up to her chest so that crossed over it. Underneath the skin, her blood veins started to glow an eerie green hue that showed through as if her skin were transparent. Supergirl stared at the woman's arm with a confused gaze for a moment and then would have gaped at the realization of what was going on had it not been for her own self control. This woman had powers apparently and the way her arm was looking reminded her of what happened earlier that day when she and Clark were walking down the street from The Talon. Focusing her gaze solely on the woman's raised arm, Supergirl used her x-ray vision to see through the flesh and muscle and right to the bone that was burning a bright green. Before Supergirl could disable her use of x-ray vision she felt herself start to grow slightly dizzy, an on setting sign of Kryptonite exposure. Supergirl shook her head slightly hoping to at least fight the small amount of the radiation that could kill her if left in its presence for far too long.

The woman only grinned more broadly at this. "You're not the only one with powers here hero." She snarled before lunging at the Girl of Steel, right arm extended out towards her.

Supergirl was quicker than her of course, but this small amount of exposure to Kryptonite had in fact slowed her reflexes down just enough that the woman actually got a swipe in on her and broke the exposed skin on her arm. After landing off to the side on her feet, Supergirl looked down at the scratch on her arm that was actually stinging as blood started to appear. A Kryptonite induced injury was no joke for a Kryptonian, and even this small a wound could prove fatal for Supergirl if she wasn't careful for here on out, and looked like this woman was ready for a smack down. Again she lunged at Supergirl, but this time the blonde Kryptonian was ready for her and turned her body sideways while reaching out with a hand. Grabbing the woman by the forearm Supergirl felt a surge of pain run through her but bit her lip and used he alien strength just enough to take the woman forward in her own advance and threw her a few feet.

Landing face first into the lobby carpet, the woman was back on her feet rather quickly and snarled like some sort of animal at Supergirl before lifting up her left arm to show that it wasn't just one arm that held Kryptonite powers, but both. Supergirl's eyes showed her alarmed state at this situation and the woman noticed. "During the meteor shower that hit here, I was at home with my mom out in our family's barn. A meteor crashed through the roof and hit us both. My mom was crippled from the waist down after a piece of heavy machinery fell on her and my arms were actually crushed under the space rock. But in the hospital my arms healed and the bone from the elbow down to my fingernails were irradiated and strengthened beyond normal human capacity." The veins glowed brightly through the skin. "Unlike others that have been affected by the meteor rocks, I find my new abilities as a gift. I have super-human strength, quicker reflexes, and can turn these two arms into deadly weapons."

As she spoke, the woman's nails grew longer and turned a dark sinister color of green. In all they had to have grown a good four or five inches into razor sharp claws, and each one had a deadly dose of Kryptonite within the enamel. Supergirl could feel her body growing weak and heavy at the same time as her stomach started to turn. It had gone from a small exposure and the possibility of a few bad scratches to an all out threat on her life now. _Doesn't matter, she has to be stopped and placed under police custody before someone is seriously hurt with that personality of hers and those arms. _Supergirl used her alien speed to zip forward at the woman and appeared before her so quickly it caught the woman off guard and gave Supergirl an open opportunity to land a punch that connected with her jaw and sent her flying across the lobby. The woman hit the hall with her back and bounced off. She collapsed to her knees at first and stayed there a moment as the punch nearly shattered her.

It was during this brief period that a few ushers had appeared, noticed their fallen friend and then Supergirl staring down a woman on the other side of the lobby who was starting to stand to her feet. Supergirl heard their cries of shock and surprise and looked over her shoulder at them. "Get him out of here and call the police!" she ordered, and they obeyed immediately allowing Supergirl to return her attention to the woman who was now standing in a bit of a wobbly state.

"Not bad hero. I've never had that happen to me at all. Felt like I got hit with a truck, and that was just a punch. What else you got kiddo?"


End file.
